NEIL Lennon has made two changes from the team which played against FC Sion on Thursday night, with Anthony Stokes and James Forrest coming into the starting XI at the expense of Georgios Samaras and Joe Ledley, who both drop to the bench.

Today’s team to face St Mirren:

CELTIC (4-4-2) Forster; Cha, K Wilson, Majstorovic, Mulgrew; Brown, Ki, Kayal, Forrest; Stokes, Hooper
Subs: Zaluska, Matthews, Wanyama, Ledley, Commons, Samaras, Maloney

and that Cha is given an extended run, really rate him.

Not overly happy that Madge is starting, and not sure what Ledley did to get dropped, but glad Forrest is starting, and that Cha is given an extended run, really rate him.

Maj will be there to combat a specific threat I'd expect. He got the job on Steven Thompson didn't he?

Skysports.com understands Celtic are poised to sign AIK Stockholm striker Mohamed Bangura.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is keen to bolster his attacking options before the close of the transfer window and he has lined up a deal for Bangura.

It is believed former Celtic star Henrik Larsson and ex-AIK manager Stuart Baxter have recommended Bangura to Celtic following his goalscoring exploits in Sweden.

Bangura has netted seven goals in 19 games this term and his form has attracted the interest of a host of clubs across Europe.

However, Celtic are in pole position to land Bangura with the Scottish giants believed to have agreed a fee of €2.5million (£2.2million for the forward.

Bangura is expected to travel to Scotland on Monday to hold talks and undergo a medical at Parkhead ahead of securing his move to Glasgow.

How is your fitness?

I am OK

Is it true that you are getting a lot of offers from English Premier league?

I heard that there are some of offers, but I think it is very important that I have to concentrate on what I am doing right now. There is not much time left for the transfer window, but I think we have to see what happens until it closes.

BABA DIAWARA is set to seal a move to Celtic along with Mohamed Bangura.

Georgios Samaras and Shaun Maloney will fund the double swoop by heading to England.

Maritimo striker Diawara is on the brink of sealing a £2million move ahead of tomorrow's transfer deadline. And he will be joined by £2.2m AIK Stockholm hitman Bangura.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon will finance the deals by selling Samaras — a £3m target for Sunderland — and Maloney, who is expected to agree a deal with Wigan this morning.

Samaras signed a new three-year deal last season but the Hoops will now off-load the Greek misfit.

Scotland star Maloney will also be allowed to go after Wigan boss Roberto Martinez matched Hoops' £2m valuation.

That will pave the way for the arrivals of Diawara and Bangura who will have medicals today.

Last night Diawara was with Maritimo president Carlos Pereira in Lisbon as Celtic thrashed out a fee with the Portuguese outfit before he flies to Glasgow.

A source close to the player said: "Just about everything is in place now.

"Both clubs have agreed in principle to proceed with the deal, all they have to do now is firm up a price.

"Baba is really excited by the move. He knows Celtic are a big club and can't wait to arrive in Scotland."

The arrival of Diawara has not ended Celtic's interest in Bangura. The Sierra Leone striker is still wanted by Lennon.

One player Celtic insist they WON'T be selling, though, is South Korean midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng.

SunSport understands the Hoops — who had already rejected a £4m bid from Blackburn — have thrown out a staggering £8m bid from super-rich Russian outfit Rubin Kazan.

Hoops chief executive Peter Lawwell could have been tempted to cash in on the powerful midfielder, but has decided he doesn't need to flog one of the club's top prospects.

And Ki — back in his homeland for World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait and Lebanon — refused to contemplate a move away from Parkhead.

He said: "I know about the various offers but there is no point me thinking about a transfer now.

"And there has been nothing formal, as far as I know.

"What's important is that our World Cup campaign begins this week and I don't want to lose focus on that."

Maritimo have confirmed they have agreed a fee with Celtic for Senegalese striker Baba Diawara.

Bhoys boss Neil Lennon saw Diawara, known simply as 'Baba', net a last-minute winner for Maritimo in Sunday's surprise 3-2 success over Sporting.

The 23-year-old has attracted interest from around Europe, however, Celtic are in pole position ahead of the transfer window closing on Wednesday.

Maritimo supremo Carlos Pereira is unwilling to discuss details of the deal, believed to be around £4million, stating only an agreement has been reached.
Agreement

"I don't want to talk about the financial details, but I've spoken with Celtic and everything is okay," Pereira told the Daily Record.

"There is an agreement and I'm happy. I also believe that Celtic are happy."

Baba's advisor Karim Lariki claims the likes of Sochaux and Spartak Moscow are interested, although the striker is happy to play in Scotland.

"He has options but I believe that all African players like the idea of playing in the UK because the style of football suits," said Lariki.

STV has learned Celtic have been given a Scottish FA endorsement towards a UK work permit application for Mohamed Bangura.

Neither Celtic nor AIK have commented on whether a fee has been agreed for the player but the Swedish club have called a press conference for 2pm UK time to announce "changes to their squad".

Neil Lennon and Peter Lawwell were at Hampden Park for the hearing, at which an appeals panel heard Celtic’s case for the player's signing.

The Sierra Leone international has three caps for his country, meaning he did not meet the criteria of having played 75 per cent of competitive matches in the last two years for a FIFA-ranked top 70 nation.

But Celtic have successfully argued that the player is of significant talent to improve the game in Scotland. The UK Border Agency will now make the final call, but any move is expected to be a formality.

Bangura began his career with Kallon in Sierra Leone before agreeing a loan move to Swedish third-tier side Vardamo.

Twelve goals in 13 games saw the player catch the eye of top flight clubs and AIK signed the player on a three-and-a-half year deal in July 2010.

Celtic have also been in talks for Maritimo striker Baba Diawara, who also requires a UK work permit to secure a move, but the player is currently in Madeira awaiting news.

AIK have announced the sale of striker Mohamed Bangura to Celtic, just hours after it emerged the Scottish FA had given an endorsement towards the player’s work permit application.

The Swedish club have refused to go into specifics on the fee for the player, which has been reported as standing at around £2.2 million. Bangura has signed a four year contract wit the Glasgow club.

STV has learned Bangura was unsuccessful in gaining a travel visa to come to Scotland on Tuesday but is hopeful of obtaining his papers at the UK Embassy on Wednesday.

Bangura is then due to travel to join up with the Sierra Leone national squad on Thursday ahead of a fixture with Egypt, making it likely he will not travel to Glasgow until next week.

The striker emerged as a transfer target for Celtic over the weekend but doubts were raised over the deal on Monday, as the Glasgow club stepped up their interest in Maritimo’s Baba Diawara.

It is unclear whether that move will still go through but Neil Lennon has moved to ensure Bangura is recruited prior to Wednesday night’s transfer deadline, with only UK Border Agency approval required for the deal to be formalised.

Manager Neil Lennon and chief executive Peter Lawwell attended a work permit appeal hearing at Hampden Park on Tuesday, successfully arguing that Bangura was of the highest calibre and would contribute to the development of the Scottish game.

The 22-year-old has made just three appearances for Sierra Leone, ensuring he fell well below the requirements to be given an automatic endorsement by the Scottish FA towards a work permit application.

SFA criteria stipulates that an applicant must have played 75 per cent of competitive matches in the last two years for a FIFA-ranked top 70 nation.

Bangura began his career with Kallon in Sierra Leone before agreeing a loan move to Swedish third-tier side Vardamo.

Twelve goals in 13 games saw the player catch the eye of top flight clubs and AIK signed the player on a three-and-a-half year deal in July 2010.

Celtic’s move for Maritimo striker Baba Diawara has fallen through due to what the Portuguese club has described as "visa issues".

Terms had been agreed between Neil Lennon’s side and CS Maritimo for the 23-year-old, who has been with the Portuguese side since 2007.

But Maritimo have now said that paperwork has prevented Diawara from making the move to Glasgow.

"Baba Diawara will not be going to Celtic because he didn't get a working visa," a Maritimo spokesperson told STV.

"We had a transfer agreement in place with Celtic but this hasn't gone through due to the visa issue. Celtic will have the priority to take the player in January so at the moment it is on hold and the transfer will not happen in this window.

"He will stay here with Maritimo until January and he could go to Celtic then."

The Senegalese forward has made just one appearance for his country, ensuring he does not meet the criteria of having played 75 per cent of competitive matches in the last two years for a FIFA-ranked top 70 nation.

Following talks in Lisbon on Monday, Diawara flew back to Funchal to await news over his application to work in Scotland but has now been informed his transfer can not go ahead.

With the transfer window due to close on Wednesday, Celtic have instead swooped to bring in Mohamed Bangura from AIK, with the Sierra Leone striker having been successful on Tuesday in gaining SFA approval towards his work permit application.

Maritimo maintain a deal is still in place for Diawara to move to Scotland and are hopeful Celtic may return for the player in the winter transfer window.

The Portuguese side’s president Carlos Pereira, confirmed on Tuesday that a deal had been struck between the two clubs. “I don't want to talk about the financial details but I've spoken with Celtic and everything is okay,” Pereira told the Daily Record.

“There is an agreement and I'm happy. I also believe Celtic are happy.”

Diawara opened his account for the season under the watchful eyes of Celtic manager Lennon on Sunday, coming off the bench to score the winner in a surprise 3-2 win for Maritimo at Sporting Lisbon.

The 6ft 1in player has 35 career goals from 103 appearances with Maritimo, with his record tally sitting at 14 from 37 outings last season

Wigan Athletic have agreed a fee of about £1m to sign Shaun Maloney from Celtic and the forward will travel south for talks on Wednesday.

Personal terms are not thought likely to be an obstacle, although the 28-year-old must also pass a medical.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said: "The lad is interested in coming to play in the Premier League, that's for sure."

Maloney has had a previous spell in England's top flight, joining Aston Villa from Celtic in January 2007.

But the Scotland winger returned to the Scottish Premier League club the following August for £2.5m and signed a four-year contract.

He declared at the time of his return that it had been a mistake to move to the English top-flight club, where he failed to become a regular starter amid injury problems.

However, Whelan says Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is sure Maloney can be a success second time around.

"Roberto is a big fan of Scottish football lads," the chairman told BBC Scotland. "He knows they've got a big heart and he knows they fight.

"And, once they adjust to the pace of the Premier League, we've had some very good lads from Scotland.

"Roberto is an excellent judge of football and footballers.

"If Roberto says to me that he thinks this lad can make it, I am 99 per cent sure that the lad can make it."

Maloney, who can play on the wing or up front, had departed the Glasgow club for £1m under then manager Gordon Strachan, who then re-signed him after he became unsettled in Birmingham.