SUMMER BUMMER FOR VIRGIL BOUNTY

CELTIC might have to wait for their Virgil van Dijk windfall with Southampton vowing to play hardball with clubs looking to entice the player elsewhere this summer.

In an unprecedented move last week, Liverpool withdrew their interest in the 25-year-old Dutch defender after being threatened with legal action as Southampton believed their player had been ‘tapped up.’

The Anfield side put out a statement to formally apologise – after Van Dijk had declared them his favoured destination.

Chelsea and Manchester City are also in the running for the player who has been valued at £60m by Southampton, who are looking to recoup the additional

10% sell-on fee that Celtic are owed whenever he does move on.

However, Southampton have hinted that they will treat any illegal approach in the same way as they did Liverpool’s, meaning that Celtic may have to wait for any additional revenue this summer.

The Parkhead side are keen on bringing Patrick Roberts back to the club on a permanent basis, while they have also been linked with a move for Lovro Majer, a 19-yearold Croatian attacking midfielder.

Sources within the club, however, have been insistent that they do not wish to lose any of their main players this summer.

Moussa Dembele remains on the wish-list of a number of clubs but Celtic are adamant they will not sell, while any move from Newcastle or West Brom for Leigh Griffiths is also likely to be rebuffed.

But fringe player Nadir Ciftci is expected to move, while the likes of Gary Mackay-Steven and Scott Allan could also leave.

Meanwhile, Celtic’s academy structure is set for a further boost. It is believed the club’s pools have brought in more than £1 million this season, money that is redirected into the academy structure.

It adds to the feel-good factor within the club, with more than 50,000 season tickets sold on the back of the Treblewinning season.

The club banked an estimated £25m to £30m from their involvement from last season’s UEFA Champions League as Brendan Rodgers made an immediate impact at the club.