I think its been mentioned on here before, but I don’t think Armstrong is better than Johansen who plays better in the advanced role. Armstrong wouldn’t be cheap either, United are okay cash wise now so you’d be looking at probably £2m for someone that arguably wouldn’t improve our starting xi
[SIZE=6]Celtic chasing Senegal international Kara Mbodj… but could face competition from Crystal Palace and West Ham[/SIZE]
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[]Celtic are in the hunt for Senegal international Kara Mbodj
[]He currently plays for Alex McLeish’s Belgian side Racing Genk
[]Mbodj can play as a defender or a holding midfielder
[]But Crystal Palace and West Ham are also tracking the 25-year-old
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By George Grant for the Daily Mail
Published: 00:48 GMT, 23 December 2014 | Updated: 08:40 GMT, 23 December 2014
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Celtic are in the hunt for Senegal international Kara Mbodj, who plays for Alex McLeish’s Belgian side Racing Genk.
The Parkhead side will be looking for reinforcements in the January transfer window after a stuttering start to Ronny Deila’s first season in charge.
And 25-year-old Mbodj, who can play as a defender or a holding midfielder, is one of the names being targeted.
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Celtic are in the hunt for Senegal international Kara Mbodj, who plays for Alex McLeish’s side Racing Genk
But Celtic are expected to face competition for his signature from south of the border, with Barclays Premier League clubs Crystal Palace and West Ham United also credited with an interest in the 25-year-old.
Deila knows Mbodj well after he played for Norwegian side Tromso for two years, with the Celtic boss encountering him on numerous occasions when he was in charge of Stromsdgodset.
Mbodj said: ‘I can confirm that British clubs are showing interest in me.
‘But I don’t want this to distract from my focus which is to get Genk as high up the league as possible.
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Ronny Deila is looking for some defensive cover and Mbodj can play in both defence and holding midfield
‘In January we will talk to these clubs and I will make a decision on my future then.’
Mbodj has helped transform McLeish’s side from relegation contenders to European place hopefuls in the Belgian Pro League - and it’s that form that will see Celtic look closely at the talented African
Not a big fan of Africans, of all the players linked so far - the one I really want is John McGinn.
RONNY DEILA has warned that players will have to move out to make room for the new recruits he wants to add in the January transfer window.
Ronnie Cully
Senior Sports Writer
Monday 29/12/2014
Having had six months to asses what he has at his disposal, the Hoops boss is determined to strengthen his team - not just his squad.
But Deila accepts he can’t simply oversee one-way traffic, and predicts the exit door will have to be used as much as the entry door.
Asked if the opening of the transfer window on Thursday will cause him to think as much about who is going as it will who he wants to bring in, Deila replied: "It is going to be both.
"We can’t have 40 players.
“So, of course, if we get somebody in, there could be somebody going out.”
Already, Jo Inge Berget has been told he will be allowed to return to Cardiff after his loan spell at Parkhead failed to see him re-ignite his career.
And the Norwegian attacker could be joined in departing the club by a few other fringe players.
Deila wants to call the shots over who departs, and is desperate not to lose any of his top performers, like the in-demand Virgil van Dijk, or striker John Guidetti, who remains in negotiations with the club to convert his loan spell to a permanent contract.
Kris Commons - who, once again, started on the bench for the weekend’s goalless draw with Ross County - is free to speak to other clubs from Thursday as he enters the final few months of his contract, which remains to be renewed.
Beram Kayal is another whose current deal runs out at the end of the season and whose future is in doubt.
The 26 year-old Israeli international is battling back from injury, and has not made an appearance for over a month.
But even before being sidelined, he had not played as much as he would have liked - just 13 games - since Deila replaced Neil Lennon in the summer.
Kayal has been quoted in the press in his homeland as saying he needs to get away from Celtic to kick-start his career, and Maccabi Haifa are monitoring the situation.
But Deila has indicated he wants the midfielder to stay, and is looking forward to including him in his plans when he returns to full fitness.
“We want to keep our best players,” said Deila when asked if he can understand why Kayal may feel he needs to move to get game time.
“And, when we come out of this window,” Deila continued, “we want to be stronger than we are right now.”
The next month will be pivotal for many players at the club, and Deila added: "Beram is another who is, hopefully, going to go back into the team next week.
“But, again, his contract is out at the end of the season. He is a good player, so we will see what is happening.”
Deila is also awaiting an update on the condition of Anthony Stokes, who limped out of Saturday’ game after just five minutes after suffering a calf injury.
Not a fan of African players either think they are all mercenaries
Linked with Nadir Ciftci in a couple of dubious looking articles today. Looked decent against us recently and has a good goalscoring record and is young enough. Wouldn’t mind him coming but think we have other more pressing needs.
Armstrong and Ciftci are available for a combined £6m apparently. Two players that wouldn’t improve us immediately, I think we’ll pass for that price
Seems expensive alright. Not sure either are guaranteed successes, but not many players are in the £2-3m bracket.
We’re linked with Mix Diskerud again today. He’s a USA international who is just going out of contract with Rosenberg. Think we were linked with him in the summer too. Seems like he’d be a decent standard and we certainly could do with a couple of international quality midfielders.
Ciftci is a decent player but we don’t need a striker at the minute. I’d take a punt on Armstrong though for £2m.
[QUOTE=“Rocko, post: 1064060, member: 1”]Seems expensive alright. Not sure either are guaranteed successes, but not many players are in the £2-3m bracket.
We’re linked with Mix Diskerud again today. He’s a USA international who is just going out of contract with Rosenberg. Think we were linked with him in the summer too. Seems like he’d be a decent standard and we certainly could do with a couple of international quality midfielders.[/QUOTE]
Mix scored for us in the friendly defeat against Ireland in The Aviva Stadium recently. He played well that night and should be firmly in Coach Klinsmann’s plans for 2015.
Linked with Larry/Olarenwaju Kayode today. He’s a 21 year old Nigerian striker who plays for Maccabi Netanya where he has scored 5 goals in 10 games. No prizes for guessing who is agent is.
Linked with him for a while now, has there been more developments or something more concrete of late?
Couple of reports from Israel I think. He seems to have been left out of their matchday squad because a move is imminent.
Celtic centre-back Efe Ambrose is a loan target for both QPR and Leicester. (The Sun)
Hopefully with a compulsory purchase clause.
They must be desperate.
RONNY DEILA has slammed the door on reports Efe Ambrose could be a target for Enbglish Premier League clubs.
Tuesday 06/01/2015
Leicester and Queens Park Rangers have both been linked with a move for the Nigerian defender in this transfer window.
But the Celtic boss insists the only place Ambrose is going is Gran Canaria with the rest of the Hoops squad today.
After watching the 26-year-old stroll through last night’s 2-0 victory over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park - a result which takes the champions to within a point of league leaders Aberdeen, with a game in hand - Deila laughed when he was asked about the speculation surrounding the man who joined the club in 2012.
“That’s news to me,” he said. “There’s nothing concrete. Nothing has come to us about that.”
Celtic have been offered Nigerian striker Olerenwaju Kayode, who is leaving Israeli club Maccabi Netanya.
His agent is Dudu Dhan, who has close links with the Hoops, and one report even claimed Celtic have submitted a £300,000 bid to release him from his contract.
But Deila said of the reputed interest: “That’s news to me. We are not looking so much in that area (up front).”
Derry striker Michael Duffy has returned to Lennoxtown for a second trial and, as he jetted into Glasgow, he said: "I’m looking forward to it, to training and playing in a match. So far I’ve done well, but hopefully I can prove myself again.
“I haven’t really spoken to the manager so I will just see how it goes.”
But Deila has confirmed that the 20-year-old is one for the future, and will not be part of his group in Gran Canaria.
“There is no-one coming in to join us in the training the camp.”
Deila remains convinced that any business Celtic do will be right at the end of this window. And he is prepared for the barrage of speculation over comings and going which will appear every day between now and then.
His main focus, however, is to strengthen for the second half of the season, which will include an assault on four different trophies.
He is delighted to be heading to Gran Canaria on the back of a much-needed win, and said: "It was very important that we got a victory last night before we headed away.
"I was very happy with the response I got from the boys. Everybody responded in a good way to the disappointment of drawing against Ross County in our last game.
“We were the best team on the pitch and won the game in a good way with the way we played.”
Deila added: “We could have won by more goals, but we are creating chances, so the goals will come. It is just about becoming more confident and becoming more resolute in the last third of the pitch.”
FOOTBALL GOSSIP
Celtic are tracking 19-year-old Hamilton Academical full-back Stephen Hendrie, who is also being watched by QPR, Swansea City and West Ham United. (The Sun)
Celtic are weighing up a move for 27-year-old former Motherwell winger Chris Humphrey, who is out of contract with English League One outfit Preston North End in the summer. (Daily Express)
Celtic defender Marcus Fraser, who spent the first half of the season with Cowdenbeath, could join Ross County after the 20-year-old trained with the Dingwall outfit. (Daily Express, print edition)
Islam Feruz, the Scotland Under-21 and former Celtic striker who says he does not wish to be considered for the national team at present, is likely to join Cardiff City on loan from Chelsea after a change of heart - and agent. (The Herald, print edition)
All pro soccer players are mercenaries you racist imbecile.
Incorrect.