GARY Hooper was on the brink of completing his move to Norwich City last night and taking Celtic's income this year to nearly £40m.
Only 24 hours after Queens Park Rangers thought they had landed the 25-year-old Englishman he instead headed for Carrow Road to undergo a medical. Hooper was believed to have agreed terms on a four-year contract.
The £5m fee agreed by Celtic and Norwich, when added to the £12.5m received for Victor Wanyama and the £20.2m earned from Uefa for the run to the Champions League last 16, means the Scottish champions have taken in an astonishing £37.7m since the turn of the year. Norwich could offer Hooper what QPR could not: immediate Barclays Premier League football. Manager Chris Hughton had attempted to sign him in January but remained patient when no deal was struck. Celtic manager Neil Lennon gradually lost hope that Hooper would sign a new deal beyond the contract which ends next summer.
Hughton was in the USA with his players yesterday, preparing for the new season. "We are still working very hard," he explained. "It is very difficult for me with the eight-hour time difference, but even with the conversations I am having with the chief scout it is trying to find the right times. Nothing is imminent, but we are still working."
Celtic and Lennon's problem now is not a lack of money but how to satisfactorily spend what they have raised. Striker Amido Balde arrived for £1.8m and defender Virgil van Dijk for £2.6m, but Lennon's attempt to land another high-quality forward has yet to bear fruit.
His first choice is Artjoms Rudnevs, the Latvian internationalist, but it may be impossible to agree personal terms with him or a transfer fee with Hamburg, who want £5m. "We do not want to sell Rudnevs. The only way we would sell him is if a club made an indecent proposal for him," said Oliver Kreuzer, Hamburg's sporting director.
Celtic are also interested in Tunisian internationalist Saber Khelifa, who has angered his French club, Evian, by so far failing to appear for pre-season training. Khelifa wants to leave Evian and has had discussions with Montpellier.
Lennon was yesterday also linked with a move for Paraguyan winger Marcelo Estigarribia, who was reportedly a target for Rangers two years ago. Estigarribia is with Uruguyan side Deportivo Maldonado but has spent the past two seasons on loan at Juventus and Sampdoria.
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