LEEDS BID TO TRUMPCELTS
CELTIC are set to scrap it out with Leeds to land Brentford playmaker Romaine Sawyers.
The Parkhead men are in the hunt for the £2.5million-rated midfielder but face competition from several clubs in England.
Leeds are the latest to show an interest but Record Sport understands the
Championship big guns have yet to make an official bid.
United boss Marcelo Bielsa is looking to strengthen his engine room after allowing Pontus Jansson to move to Brentford.
The South American is keen on taking Sawyers in the opposite direction but Celts remain bang in the frame. Hoops gaffer Neil Lennon is keen to add at least one more attacking midfielder after the collapse of the deal to sign Motherwell’s David Turnbull.
He has identified the 27-year-old St Kitts and Nevis star as a key target but the player is part of the Brentford camp in Austria.
Lennon is still chasing several recruits on numerous fronts but, as revealed in Record Sport, he is set to lose out on Huddersfield defender Tommy Smith.
The right-back was last night still with the Terrors squad for their pre-season training camp – also in Austria – but is understood to be close to penning a £4m move to Stoke.
Celts lost out to Bournemouth for
£4m man Jack Stacey but remain on the trail of Sheffield United’s George Baldock.
Hapoel Beer Sheva’s Hatem Abd Elhamed is also an option and could be captured for around £1.5m.
Right-back is still the priority following the exits of Mikel Lustig, Jeremy Toljan and Cristian Gamboa.
Anthony Ralston is the only recognised right-sided full back and Kris Ajer slotted in to the role in last Tueday’s Champions League qualifying win in Sarajevo.
Meanwhile, Lennon has confirmed Celtic new boy Christopher Jullien is set to take his Parkhead bow in tomorrow’s friendly clash with Rennes in Glasgow.
Leigh Griffiths is also poised to take another step on the comeback trail. Lennon said: “The friendly on Saturday is important, to get the likes of Leigh a game and boys who didn’t play, and Christopher will hopefully get some game time too.”
Meanwhile, former Celtic loan full-back Toljan has agreed to join Sassuolo on a loan costing the Serie A side £2m.