Striker Leigh Griffiths

took the chance to impress Celtic boss Neil Lennon with a half-hour appearance from the bench in yesterday’s 3-1 friendly win over Hibs at Parkhead.

Celtic are closing in on the signing of Greece international goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.

Reports in Greece say the Scottish Premiership champions have agreed to pay AEK Athens around £4.5 million for the 26-year-old, who helped knock the Hoops out of the Champions League two years ago.

Barkas is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Hoops today.

Neil Lennon has been looking for a keeper after Craig Gordon returned to Hearts and Fraser Forster rejected the chance to join the club on another loan switch from Southampton.

Meanwhile Lennon is optimistic Leigh Griffiths can be involved in competitive action early in August after being impressed with the striker’s performance in a friendly win over Hibernian.

Griffiths played half an hour of the 3-1 Parkhead win as he continues to make up ground after disappointing Lennon with his post-lockdown condition.

The 29-year-old looked set to score in his first pre-season outing, only for Patryk Klimala to nudge his goal-bound shot over the line, and the former Hibs forward twice came close later in the game.

Lennon said: “Leigh was great. He looks great and it’s the best I’ve seen him in a long time, in terms of how he looks in his conditioning.

“I am delighted with his response in terms of what we’ve asked of him. He just has to maintain it now as he will be a real asset for us – no question.

“We will see how he is in the next few days and how he is feeling. He thinks he might need a week to 10 days, or something like that. But we will gauge that as we go.

January signing Klimala also headed home Celtic’s third goal and Lennon is happier with the firepower available to support Odsonne Edouard, although he is still keen to add another forward.

“Patryk worked hard again,” Lennon said.

“There are aspects of his game he needs to improve on. But you can see a sea change in his demeanour and he’s getting used to the British game now.

“It’s a totally different game to Polish football and we have been pleased with his attitude and how he wants to progress.

“It can be difficult coming to a new environment but he’s made his point and he’s headstrong.

“He wants to be part of it and wants to bulldoze in and make a contribution, so we are happy with that.”

Lennon, who denied reports that a loan deal for West Ham striker Albian Ajeti had been done, added: “You can’t have enough good strikers in the building.

“Leigh has missed a lot of football over the last few years but at 29 he is still at his peak. He just has to maintain that now.

“But it doesn’t change the fact we will look to bring one in.

“Bayo is out with a hamstring injury but we are hoping he will be fit at some stage next week. But that game will have done both Leigh and Patryk the world of good.”

After giving the vast majority of his probable first-choice team 90 minutes in a 2-0 win over Ross County, the personnel was almost entirely different with the likes of Olivier Ntcham, Ismaila Soro and Hatem Abd Elhamed starting in a youthful line-up.

Meanwhile Hibs head coach Jack Ross has told Florian Kamberi he will not play any part this season and hopes his exit can be finalised as soon as possible.

Kamberi burned bridges with the Hibees support with his comments about his “dream” move to Ibrox when he joined Rangers on loan in the winter transfer window, and the Swiss-born player is free to negotiate a permanent move.

The striker reportedly turned down a second loan switch to Rangers and has been linked with a move home to the likes of St Gallen, Young Boys and Basel.

Ross said: “He won’t be part of my plans for the season so we need to find a solution for both parties as soon as possible.”

Leigh Griffiths with Hibs players after the full-time whistle.