The Scotland defender's current contract is up at the end of the season and he revealed his disgruntlement with the club's apparent unwillingness to offer him an improved deal to take him up among the club's higher earners on the day of the Europa League game against Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel last month.

After Celtic's AGM on Friday, where one unhappy shareholder claimed Caldwell should have been sent home from Israel for voicing his opinions, Lawwell admitted talks between the club and the former Hibernian player had reached an impasse.

He said: "I haven't spoken to Gary's agent for a couple of months.

"We had preliminary discussions and that's where it starts and ends.

"I wouldn't say there was no chance (of Gary staying) but we have to sit down and see whether it is right for Tony (Mowbray) and right for the club and the player."

The issue of money dominated the mostly good-natured AGM at Celtic Park.

Lawwell and chairman John Reid rejected accusations that failure to bolster the squad sufficiently in January had cost the club their fourth Clydesdale Bank Premier League title in succession under former boss Gordon Strachan.

While assuring his successor Tony Mowbray that monies will be available for him to strengthen the side in January, Lawwell admitted that the Parkhead club could again face frustrations in trying to recruit fresh blood to Parkhead.

He said: "There is finance available and that is not a 'Celtic will break the bank' type of quote.

"We will do all the right things that we did previously and other than last January, we have a decent track record of strengthening at an important time of the season.

"But there are no guarantees because there are so many variables other than finance."