MANAGER COY OVER POSSIBLE NISBET MOVE

CELTIC boss Ange Postecoglou last night refused to deny reports that the Parkhead club are planning to offer frozen-out Leigh Griffiths plus cash in a bid to land Hibs striker Kevin Nisbet.

Postecoglou completed the £2.5million signing of Croatia right-back Josip Juranovic from Legia Warsaw on a five-year deal ahead of yesterday’s 6-0 win over St Mirren and was asked after the match about the club preparing to act on a long-standing interest in Scotland cap Nisbet.

‘That is in the basket of uncertainty that I don’t really dip my hand in,’ said the Australian. ‘I am happy to talk about the ones we have done. I am really pleased to get Josip in. I think he is exactly the kind of player and person we want in our dressing room.

‘We will keep chipping away and hopefully get the ones we have been working on for a while now.’

Postecoglou also put Ryan Christie back into the starting line-up and gave him the armband when Callum McGregor came off with 22 minutes to play.

Christie has been in fresh talks over a new deal and Postecoglou is happy to see him in good form while negotiations continue.

‘That’s in the basket other people handle,’ he said. ‘There are a lot of baskets. I try to concentrate on the ones I can control. Where his future lies, he’s the master of that.’

Postecoglou also hopes James Forrest and James McCarthy will be back from injury for the trip to face AZ Alkmaar on Thursday.