In a day of frantic transfer activity, Celtic last night completed the £3m transfer of Glenn Loovens from under Rangers' noses.
In a day of frantic transfer activity, Celtic last night completed the £3m transfer of Glenn Loovens from under Rangers' noses.
Walter Smith responded by securing the £2.5m transfer of Pedro Mendes, the Portsmouth midfielder.
Mendes will arrive at Murray Park today to undergo a medical and his likely capture will offset the disappointment of losing Cardiff City's Dutch defender to their Old Firm rivals.
While Celtic can claim a psychological boon, The Herald understands Rangers have also reactivated their bid to sign the Palermo midfielder Mark Bresciano.
Loovens' about-turn remained the most dramatic development, however, and inflicted a major psychological blow on their already fragile Old Firm rivals.
Cardiff City accepted Peter Lawwell's formal offer after the Dutchman informed Rangers that he had grown tired of their prevarication. Upon hearing this, Rangers ended their interest and focused their attention on further transfer moves late last night. Rangers were also not prepared to pay £3m for a player in the final year of his contract.
Celtic had sent a delegation to Germany to negotiate the transfer of Alexander Madlung, Wolfsburg's German international defender, but the Bundesliga club refused to lower their £4m valuation, while the player expressed his preference to play in the Barclays Premier League.
Lawwell then made a swift call to Peter Ridsdale, the Cardiff chairman, to trump Rangers' £2m offer from earlier in the day and the 26-year-old flew to Glasgow last night to complete personal terms.
Loovens' move has compounded Rangers' frailties on a day Sir David Murray issued a bullish statement of intent that included details of a bid for Loovens.
The transfer has also been largely funded by the extra £2.5m in television revenue earned by Celtic for Rangers' failure to reach the Champions League group stages. In the end, Celtic's ability to meet Cardiff's demands, and their automatic qualification for the group stages, proved irresistible to the defender and he is now expected to form a new partnership with Stephen McManus.
The signing represents another coup for Lawwell. Rangers had a £400,000 bid for Scott McDonald rejected by Motherwell on transfer deadline day 18 months ago and Celtic subsequently doubled the offer six months later.
The Australian's 31 goals was the major contributing factor to Celtic's third successive championship and news of the latest steal from across the city has further incensed a beleaguered Rangers support.
Murray told broadcast journalists he would ensure Rangers would "rebuild, get stronger and ensure we win the title this year" but the club have been left to urgently reconsider their options after Loovens joined Celtic.
The club have offered £4m for Palermo's Australian international midfielder, Bresciano, but the player is content in Serie A and has intimated he would only consider a move to the Barclays Premier League.
Rangers will also make a renewed attempt to sign Steven Davis from Fulham but given the embarrassment caused by protracted negotiations with Cardiff over Loovens, they may be left with no option but to meet the Craven Cottage club's £4m valuation to avoid further humiliation.
