Why do Celtic even need an Away shirt? How many sides are they likely to play that wear green?

Celtic are reportedly set to make another bid for Norway striker Erik Huseklepp after losing out on his signature to Bari in January.

The 26-year-old, who has 19 caps for his country, chose to join the Italian club from SK Brann for an undisclosed fee at the beginning of the year.

However, Bari were relegated to Serie B and there are concerns that they have not paid the full fee for the forward to his former Norwegian club.

Huseklepp's agent Luca Pensi said: "This morning I met with Bari sporting director Guido Angelozzi in Milan, and with it we are trying to find a solution that satisfies both the player and Bari, who have said they are keen to sell.

"Regarding the news of Celtic, it is reliable. They have reported to us their interest in the player.

"Of course then you have to find an agreement that satisfies all parties, with the Scottish club in this case still having to make a concrete offer to Bari.

"For now, I want to reiterate, however, that there is still nothing concrete. Between an interest and a real negotiation, there is a big difference."

Celtic have agreed a fee of £2million to sign Israel striker Omar Damari from Maccabi Petah Tikva.

Celtic have been told to forget about hijacking Hoffenheim's move for Kaizer Chiefs striker Knowledge Musona.

The Bhoys have expressed an interest in the 21-year-old Zimbabwean but he is due to travel to Germany for a trial after he receives a visa on Monday.

And his club manager, Bobby Motaung, insists the forward will not be derailed from his German trip even if Celtic step up their interest.

Motaung told kickoff.com: "We know there is Celtic's deal coming into play, but firstly Musona is not on auction. Secondly, we are not going to play a pick and choose game or money game.

Act ethically

"There has been an invitation for the player from Hoffenheim and we are going to follow through that process and we will exhaust that process before we consider any other offer.

"For now we will park the proposal that has come through. It is only fair for us to act ethically.

"We will respond accordingly to Celtic and acknowledge their interest, but Musona is not on auction."

Meanwhile, Celtic have distanced themselves from a bid for Maccabi Petah Tikvah forward Omer Damari, with the Israeli club demanding a 30 per cent of any sell on fee.

Celtic midfielder Joe Ledley is hoping his Wales international team-mate Craig Bellamy will return to Parkhead this summer.

Bellamy scored nine goals in 15 appearances during a loan spell at Celtic in 2005 and is expected to leave Manchester Citybefore the start of the new season.

He is wanted back at home-town club Cardiff City, where he spent last term on loan, while reports claim Stoke City are ready to enter the race for his signature.

The Bhoys are also rumoured to be keen on the 31-year-old and Ledley would relish the opportunity to see Bellamy in Neil Lennon's squad.

"Craig Bellamy would be a great signing," said Ledley.

"Craig has been here before and he enjoyed his time here. On his day he can be one of the greatest.

"I remember the derby game a couple of years ago away to Manchester United where he was totally fantastic for City.

"I spoke to him at the end of the season and he has some big decisions to make, but I think he would like to come back.

"I asked the question about Celtic, of course I did.

"He loved his time here and if a deal can be done hopefully he can come back. It would be nice to have him here again, but we also have great players here already."

Lennon losing hope on Bellamy as Celtic boss targets new signings
Neil Lennon has admitted that he is losing hope of landing top striker target Craig Bellamy.
The Celtic boss identified the Welsh international as the man he wanted after Reading slapped a £7million price tag on first pick Shane Long.
With Manchester City demanding either a £4m transfer fee, or that a loaning club pay Bellamy’s £80,000-a-week wage in full, prospects of landing the 31-year-old on a second loan deal in Glasgow look to be fading fast.

Celtic’s hope was to land the firebrand forward on a deal similar to that which saw Cardiff pay just £20,000 towards a one-year loan last season. Asked if the Scottish Cup holders could pay Bellamy’s salary in full, however, Lennon admitted: ‘If you are talking that sort of money, then no. It looks a remote possibility at the moment, unless some sort of scenario comes up where he could come down a bit on the wages.’
Bellamy is set to return from a charity trip while an enquiry to Manchester City has been delayed by holidays.
Added Lennon: ‘He (Bellamy) is not back yet. We would also need to know what the situation is and what the proposal would be.
‘Peter Lawwell is looking at that, although I am not over-confident on that one.’

JAMES McFADDEN is back on the Old Firm's radar after contract talks with Birmingham City collapsed.
Birmingham held a two-year option on his deal and new boss Chris Hughton wanted him to stay.
But the deal was on reduced wages and the 28-year-old rejected the new terms.
Now Tartan Army hero Faddy can walk away from St Andrew's for NOTHING. That's sure to interest Celtic boss Neil Lennon, who has Faddy on a list of signing targets.
Rangers will also take notice after missing out on Craig Conway and Tomer Hemed.
Lifelong Hoops fan Faddy had always distanced himself from a move to Glasgow.
But he told friends recently that he would NOT rule out a summer switch to Parkhead.

Kenya international Victor Wanyama has moved closer to completing his move to Celtic after being awarded a work permit via an appeal to the Scottish Football Association.

An independent four-man panel endorsed the African's application, which is now expected to be rubber-stamped by the UK Border Agency.

As initially revealed by skysports.com, Celtic confirmed a deal for the 20-year-old to join the club from Germinal Beerschot last week.

A Scottish Football Association statement read: "Following an appeal by Celtic FC on behalf of Victor Wanyama, the Scottish FA has today issued the club with a Governing Body Endorsement.

"The player must now complete his work permit application with the UK Border Agency."

Wanyama was on Friday afternoon undergoing a medical at Ross Hall Hospital in Glasgow following his successful appeal, which saw Hoops manager Neil Lennon plead his case via conference call from Australia, where the first-team squad are on a pre-season tour.

Wanyama's work permit application was automatically refused as Kenya are ranked outside the top 75 countries in the world, at 130 on Fifa's latest list.

But Celtic convinced the panel that the player, who has 11 caps for his country, would make a significant impact on Scottish football.

Lennon last week stated that Wanyama, who can play in midfield, had been signed predominately as a central defender.

Victor Wanyama is a Celt

CELTIC Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Victor Wanyama on a four- year deal following Governing Body Endorsement granted by the SFA.


Victor completed his medical earlier today and will now return to Belgium to obtain the relevant entry visa.


Victor Wanyama said: “I am delighted to sign for Celtic Football Club. With the formalities now out of the way, I can look forward to meeting up with my new team-mates and manager on their return from Australia.


“ It has always been a dream of mine to play for a club like Celtic. After reading the club’s incredible history I have chosen 67 as my squad number to show appreciation to the 1967 squad.


“My ambition at Celtic is to win many trophies like the Lisbon Lions.”


Neil Lennon added: “It’s fantastic news that Victor has now signed for Celtic. He will be an important addition to the squad and I look forward to him joining up with the boys on our return from Australia.”

Glory for dominant Celtic in Perth

Pre-season friendly
NIB Stadium, Perth, Australia
Saturday, July 9, 2011

CELTIC…2
Hooper 16, Mulgrew 51

PERTH GLORY…0

CELTIC registered their first victory of the pre-season tour of Australia with a convincing 2-0 triumph over Perth Glory on Saturday night.

Gary Hooper opened the scoring with a composed finish just past the quarter hour mark as Neil Lennon’s men started the match with real purpose.

A glancing header from Charlie Mulgrew after half-time sealed the spoils, sending the raucous Celtic support home happy.

With a week of intense training under their belts, following the first match of the tour against Central Coast Mariners, the Hoops started with a markedly greater urgency and soon had the home side on the back foot.

A raking pass over Kris Commons set Anthony Stokes racing into the box but the striker was unable to keep the ball in play with several defenders in close attendance.

Commons was involved once again, robbing his opposite number opposite number, Scott Neville, but watched as his low cross for Hooper was hacked behind for a corner.

And it was from corners that Neil Lennon’s men created their next chances, Scott Brown and Mark Wilson, forcing Danny Vukovic into two good stops with near-post headers.

Both Stokes and Commons came close from free-kicks as the Hoops upped the ante. It was one-way traffic and finally in the 16th minute it paid dividends.

Fast and fluent, Celtic had been playing some terrific stuff in the opening spell but it was from the direct route they went ahead. Glenn Loovens thumped a long ball over the top of the Perth side’s defence.

They dithered – Hooper didn’t. Beating the offside trap, he advanced on Vukovic, before coolly sliding the ball under the keeper and into the corner.

Ian Ferguson’s side finally mustered up a response when former-Celt, Liam Miller, found Mile Sterjokvski with a clever chip into the box but the midfielder fluffed his effort with only Lukasz Zaluska to beat.

Some good persistence from Miller gave him an eye of goal, shortly after, but he could only fire over.

The match had been an entertaining affair with plenty of attacking endeavour from either side for the bumper crowd to enjoy, however, a facial injury to Beram Kayal, following a mid-air collision, saw a four minute stoppage as the Israeli received treatment.

Frustratingly for the midfielder it forced him from the action. Shaun Maloney was his replacement.

That disruption sapped the pace out of the game and it was not until after the break that there was some tangible goalmouth excitement.

Maloney had been an energetic presence in the final third since his introduction, and another enterprising run down the left from the winger crafted a golden chance for Stokes – but the striker goalbound attempt was blocked.

However, it didn’t take long for Celtic to double their advantage. Ki, who had entered the fray at the interval, delivered an accurate free-kick into the box from the left and Mulgrew rose highest to flick a header into the far corner.

Conceding a second goal seemed to deflate the home side, who, to be fair, had emerged with more zeal at half-time, and they never looked like seriously troubling the Hoops for the remainder of the half.

Indeed, it was Celtic – despite several substitutions – that looked the more likely to add to their tally, with Stokes and Ledley missing the target after some fine sweeping attacks, and Paddy McCourt always looking threatening in the final third.

It wasn’t until the final few minutes until the visitors managed to trouble an assured Celtic rearguard again.

A ricochet on the edge of the area presented Alex Caniglia with a clear sight of goal but he dragged his shot wide, before Adam Teggert was foiled through some great recovery work from Glenn Loovens as he raced in on goal. It would be the final incident of the match.

With a confidence-boosting win, and another valuable 90 minutes under their belts, Celtic now head into Melbourne for their final fixture of tour down under.

CELTIC (4-4-2) Zaluska; M. Wilson (Cha 45), K. Wilson, Loovens, Mulgrew; Brown (Matthews 83), Kayal (Maloney 34), Ledley, Commons (Ki 45); Hooper (McCourt 64) Stokes (Murphy 71)
Not Used: Cervi, Majstorovic, Samaras

PERTH GLORY (4-4-2) Vukovic; Neville, Van Den Brink, Mitchell, Howarth; Hughes, Burns (Quaqua 85); Dodd (Amphlett 83) Miller (McGarry 45) Stejokvski (Caniglia 54); Smeltz (Teggert 45).

Website Man of the Match: Scott Brown

Skysports.com understands that goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa is on trial with Celtic in pre-season training.

The SPL runners-up are searching for a new goalkeeper in order to provide a third option to Lukasz Zaluska and Dominic Cervi.

With Newcastle seemingly unprepared to allow Fraser Forster to return to Scotland, Pletikosa has been offered the chance to impress Celtic's coaches.

Obtaining a work permit would still be an issue, but the 32-year-old Croatian, who last season spent time on loan with Tottenham from parent club Spartak Moscow, offers vast experience after collecting 82 international caps.

Celtic were also linked with Pletikosa during Gordan Strachan's time as manager at Parkhead.

Celtic won an appeal for a work permit for Victor Wanyama on Friday and confirmed the signing on Saturday.

Skysports.com understands

Lennon apparently interested in taking Stipe Pletikosa on trial.

"Harry Redknapp was raving about Pletikosa so we'll have a look at him.''

NEIL LENNON has swooped to secure Croat keeper Stipe Pletikosa on trial - but the Celtic boss insists Lukasz Zaluska will start the season as his new No1.
Zaluska looked to be on his way out of Parkhead this summer, but a keeper crisis has put him right back in the frame.
Lennon's bid of £1.5million for Fraser Forster was rejected by Newcastle.
Scotland's Craig Gordon remains on Celtic's radar while Lennon confirmed last night that former Spurs star Pletikosa will arrive in Glasgow later this week.
Lenny said: "He'll be coming in on trial, that's all but confirmed. We'll get a look at him for a week or two when we get back.
"I spoke to Harry Redknapp through a third party. He was raving about him."
But it's Zaluska - after pleading with Lenny last week - who will face Hibs on the opening day.
Lennon added: "He's in a far better place mentally than this time last year.
"He went through a period where he wasn't quite right. But he's physically a lot better too. He looks a lot more assured and confident now.
"It was a step up when Artur Boruc left and he didn't seem to handle that as well as we would have liked him to. But I had no qualms about using him at any stage last season and I would have no qualms with starting the season with Lukasz in goal."
Gordon has been told he can leave Sunderland with Arsenal and Manchester City among his admirers.
But Lennon insists Celtic are also keen on him.
He said: "His name has cropped up a few times. The problem is he's not fit until October."

Brown fires Hoops to victory in Melbourne

Pre-season friendly
AAMI Park, Melbourne
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

CELTIC…1
Brown 78

MELBOURNE VICTORY…0

A LATE goal from Scott Brown handed Celtic the spoils against Melbourne Victory in their final match of the Australian pre-season tour.

The midfielder struck with just over 10 minutes remaining, finding the corner of the net via a deflection after Kris Commons had picked him out on the edge of the area.

Although both sides passed up a number of good opportunities in an entertaining encounter, it was well-earned triumph for Neil Lennon’s men who enjoyed a greater share of possession and created the more clear-cut chances.

Predictably, with attaining optimum condition the main goal of the exercise, the Hoops boss had made several changes to the team which defeated Perth Glory so convincingly last weekend. The likes of Daniel Majstorovic, Georgios Samaras, Ki and Paddy McCourt all came into the starting XI.

Despite the alterations, the Hoops began with great gusto in front of the over 20,000 fans who had turned up on a rainy evening in the Victorian capital.

A wonderful long pass from Kelvin Wilson sent Commons racing clear but Melbourne keeper, Tando Velahpi, rushed out quickly to block his shot. It would be a busy evening for the shot-stopper.

Adam Matthews, who had came in for Mark Wilson at right-back, then made a foraging run down the right and was felled at the edge of the area. Commons took the free-kick but it failed to bypass the defensive wall.

Celtic were playing some nice stuff, zipping the ball around the greasy surface with gusto. But the hosts showed they were also capable of constructing good passages of play, with Tomislav Pondeljak ending a slick passing move by firing wildly over.

With both sides intent on forward enterprise, the match was now flowing from end-to-end.

It was then Celtic’s turn to attack. Beram Kayal shot over before Kelvin Wilson headed narrowly wide from Ki’s corner. And, after evading the offside trap, Gary Hooper turned inside his marker, bringing out a good stop from Velaphi.

Lukasz Zaluska then produced a smart stop from Daniel Allsopp at the other end but Celtic swiftly responded through Samaras, the striker sidefooting an effort too close to Velaphi after good work from McCourt.

Commons rifled a stinging drive straight at the Melbourne keeper from the angle of the box and then Ki shot over twice as Celtic mounted the pressure toward the interval.

Samaras, captain for the evening in tribute to Melbourne’s large Greek community, saw another powerful shot saved, after controlling Commons’ cross.

Celtic continued where they had left-off after the restart and Mulgrew saw a venomous free-kick pushed over by Velaphi.

Samaras then slipped in McCourt on the left, the winger dancing past one defender before his low shot from an angle was turned away by the Melbourne minder.

That seemed to spark the hosts into action again. The profligate Alssop passed up two decent chances, including a near-post header which he should have converted.

He did better, shortly after, sending Socceroo striker Archie Thompson scampering on to a perfectly-weighted through pass but he dragged his shot out for a throw-in.

Celtic replied with Commons picking out McCourt at the far post with a glorious delivery. However, the Irishman was unable to keep his header down.

And as the game entered its closing stages, it was Lennon’s men who had all the attacking momentum. Hooper’s low cross was almost turned into his own net by Adrian Leijer, before Anthony Stokes struck a low shot into the side-netting.

A determined burst into the box by Samaras saw the Greek hitman slide an inviting ball across but somehow Hooper was unable to reach. Had he connected, a goal would have been a certain outcome.

Finally, Celtic’s endeavours were rewarded. Commons took a quick corner and found Brown lurking at the edge of the area. His shot took a slight deflection, before nestling into the corner of the net, sending the huge Hoops support behind the goal into raptures.

Stokes had still time to hit the bar from a free-kick, while Daryl Murphy also came close on two occasions. Yet Brown’s goal was enough to end a successful tour of Oz on a high, and send the Hoops into the SPL campaign with plenty of confidence.

CELTIC (4-4-2) Zaluska; Matthews (Cha 79), Majstorovic, K. Wilson (Ledley 73), Mulgrew; Commons, Kayal (Brown 58) Ki, McCourt (Stokes 66), Hooper (Murphy 79) Samaras
Not Used: Cervi, Towell

MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-4-2) Velaphi; Foschini, Vargas (Franjic 45), Leijer, Ferreira; Pondeljak (Solorzano 45), Broxham, Brebner (Celeski 56), Rojas; Thompson (Jeggo 76) Allsopp, (Lokvanicic 81)
Not Used: Dowisha, O’Dea, Ansell

Attendance: 20,794

Website Man of the Match: Ki