NEIL LENNON has refused to rule out the signing of former Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher as he looks to bolster his attacking options for the coming season.

The Celtic manager admitted he was an admirer of the 33-year-old ex-Scotland forward when asked if he would be looking to add him to his squad, and said that he is still looking to bring in striking options.

But he wouldn’t be drawn definitively on whether or not Fletcher is a contender to join Celtic this summer.

“He is a good player,” Lennon said. “I am not going to confirm or deny that, I don’t want to talk about individuals.

“We have been linked with a lot of strikers, midfield players, centre halves. There are one or two areas we want to add to because we have let a few players go. We let seven or eight go and we have only added (Vasilis) Barkas to the squad so I think it’s important we bring some quality in, in the areas we are looking for.

“I think it’s the most important position on the pitch. We have had a few injuries and a few absentees in that department so if there is a quality one available and we think it’s the right thing to do, we will pursue it.

“We will take a view on the squad later on down the line.”

Lennon says though that the likes of Vakoun Issouf Bayo may still have a future at the club too.

“He pulled his hamstring in Loughborough,” he said. “He has been out for the last few weeks, he is just back out on the pitches doing some rehab and physical work. We are hopeful he might start training again next week.”

The Celtic manager also hopes that offers don’t arrive for his top talent before the closure of the transfer window in October.

“In the last couple of years we have sold players for a lot of money, Moussa Dembele and Kieran Tierney,” he said.

“We have adjusted accordingly to that. It is always difficult when you see top quality players go but, look, we have sort of been doing that for the last 10-12 years.

“There may be interest in one or two of our players, but we haven’t had any phonecalls about any of them, which has been a pleasing aspect of pre-season so far.”