CELTIC have had to abandon plans to bring in Pavel Fojut because of the knee injury suffered by the Polish defender.
Parkhead manager Neil Lennon confirmed yesterday that the deal for the Slask Wroclaw player is now off and he is looking for new options at centre-back.
Fojut signed a pre-contract with Celtic in January and was due to arrive in Glasgow in July but the cruciate ligament damage sustained by the 24-year-old playing in one of his last games for Slask has wrecked the move.
"That deal will be off now," said Lennon. "Jaroslav was in London on Tuesday with our doctor, Roddy MacDonald, to see a specialist. It looks like he's done his cruciate again. When you sign a player on a pre-contract, there is always that clause on it so we have the option to break it and, going on the medical advice we're getting at the minute, we will not be taking him.
"We really liked what we saw of Jaroslav. I think he'd had a cruciate injury before and it looks like he's suffered the same thing again. It's a huge blow for him, and for us. We will have to draft a letter and then maybe get the chance to speak to him on the phone.
"We need a team ready for the Champions League qualifiers. His injury could take longer than six months to recover from and it would be too much of a gamble so we'll have to start again in that position and look elsewhere."
Lennon is already deprived of Daniel Majstorovic in that role. The Sweden defender's season was ended by a knee injury while on international duty and Majstorovic's contract expires next month, while Glenn Loovens is likely to leave as a free agent. Another centre-back, Kelvin Wilson, is reportedly a signing target for Leicester City.
"Dan and Glenn are both out of contract so we may have to go shopping for two more now," said Lennon. "I've had not contact with Leicester City (over Wilson) and there's been nothing between the clubs. He's had a pretty good season and it's an area where we're short anyway so we would not be in a rush to do anything there. Kelvin had a year to look at it (since moving from Nottingham Forest) and realised the enormity of the club and that will stand him in good stead for next season.
"I've got a list of a lot of players. We may have to spend and get two centre-backs in. Your ideal centre-half would be very good in the air, athletically good, quick, strong and good on the ball. And someone with good leadership qualities. We're looking for that at the minute.
"Fraser Forster is also a priority for us, he's one we want to tie down. We'd like to keep the continuity going, particularly in that position. We rate him very highly and he knows what we think of him. Hopefully we can sit down with him and his agent pretty soon and get a deal done."
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