Tonev reportedly on the verge of signing. As Totti has alluded to elsewhere, there’s a surprising lack of other names being linked, we usually have a couple of desks prearranged.
Great news, if this is to be believed.
One of the head coach’s first tasks will be to slim down a wage bill of £25 million with Bakary Sako and Kevin Doyle undoubtedly the club’s chief assets. Whereas Sako is wanted by Fulham and has been known to a variety of top flight clubs for some time, Doyle had appeared set for a summer switch to Celtic, particularly after Neil Lennon tried to take the Irish international on loan in January.
But there now appear to be major doubts about a potential switch to Parkhead.
Reports north of the border suggest that Lennon’s priorities appear to have changed.
Scottish Cup hero Gary Hooper is the subject of major interest from a number of English clubs with QPR and West Ham at the head of a queue for his signature.
His 31 goals will be tough to replace and so Lennon is believed to be looking for a natural goalscorer.
Doyle managed just nine goals in the Championship last season and four in the Premier League the year before.
A source close to Lennon believes that the Ireland striker is unlikely to sign for the Bhoys as Celtic have switched their focus to a goal-grabber.
Celtic are reported to be interested in signing Algerian striker El Arbi Hillel Soudani, who can also play out wide. He scored nine goals for Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes and Dinamo Minsk had a bid of £600,000 turned down. It is thought the Portuguese club will accept £750,000 with Hamburg, Sochaux and Granada also bidding for the Algerian’s signature.
Doyle still has two years remaining on his contract and, despite his lack of goals, Wolves can still attract bids in the region of £2-3 million
The Scotsman are also reporting we are close to getting Tonev, but this time for a fee of £2m, which seems a lot more plausible. What kind of bellend is the sports editor at the Record? How could anyone believe Celtic would pay £8m on a player in today’s market?
Is Hooper now in the last year of his contract?
I also see that Algerian forward has actually signed for Dinamo Zagreb.
That’s good news. I wouldn’t trust an Algerian striker to regularly score goals.
Yeah, you’re right - with players coming in and going out then it’s very important to have desks prearranged. Players like to know who’s sitting where for meetings and so on.
Alex O’Henley (ex Celtic TV, now freelance journalist) is reporting that Thomas Rogne is leaving the club.
Yes, he’s out of contract next summer.
Think £4-6m is the best we can hope for him this summer if he doesn’t renew. I saw the other day that McClean was linked with us the other day, probably lazy journalism and nothing substantive there but we do miss a real direct presence out wide with the exception of Forrest. Samaras can play this role at time but you never know what to expect with Sammy. The fee mentioned was £2m, and while he is a limited player I think he could prove useful for us and is bound to send the Sevco nutters into a state of incandescent rage.
He’s a thoroughly lovely chap but he’s not good enough I’m afraid. He’s probably not much better than McGinn. Tonev is a winger isn’t he?
Tonev, I assume, is one of those cut inside wide players. One thing I have noted is how stale some of our domestic performances is due to the likes of this where everyone converges in the middle of the pitch and teams just pack men behind the ball and the game peters out into ineffective lateral passes. Sometimes we need that directness where someone is willing the carry the ball and McClean always looks to do that. He’s had a very bad season at club level - actually think he has put in a number of decent performances for Ireland. For £2m I think he’d do quite well.
We’re also linked with 16 year old Liam Coogans who has one goal for Airdrie. Could be the new Tony Watt - seems to have impressed in a youths game against Celtic.
Linked today with Amido Balde. He’s a tall 22 year old Portuguese striker who plays for Vitoria Guimares. Fee mentioned is £2.5m.
Not many goals on his career so far but a record of about 1 in 3 which isn’t bad for a youngster probably. Capped at underage level by Portugal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI9rMrfBH3U
He even looks like Bobo. 
Seems reasonably decent from that video.
Tonev now seems more likely to join Aston Villa.
It’s now unclear where Tonev will be heading. There was talk he was in Birmingham to complete a medical ahead of a move tomorrow but it transpires he’s actually playing this evening. So either that was a completely fabricated report or else it just got the timings wrong.
Either way, Celtic now appear to be favourites to acquire him again.
[quote=“Rocko, post: 779484, member: 1”]It’s now unclear where Tonev will be heading. There was talk he was in Birmingham to complete a medical ahead of a move tomorrow but it transpires he’s actually playing this evening. So either that was a completely fabricated report or else it just got the timings wrong.
Either way, Celtic now appear to be favourites to acquire him again.[/quote]
Sign him up with Big Amido Balde.
It’s also worth pointing out that Tonev is left footed, something I was unaware of up until now. If Tonev arrives we will have a lot of players competing for the same places.
Tonev, Forrest, Sammy, Commons, Rogic, Stokes, Hooper and Watt would be on our books and you could only really play four of them (at most) at the same time. That’s not a massive problem if he rotates the squad but he has been very conservative in that this year.
[quote=“Il Bomber Destro, post: 779489, member: 1052”]It’s also worth pointing out that Tonev is left footed, something I was unaware of up until now. If Tonev arrives we will have a lot of players competing for the same places.
Tonev, Forrest, Sammy, Commons, Rogic, Stokes, Hooper and Watt would be on our books and you could only really play four of them (at most) at the same time. That’s not a massive problem if he rotates the squad but he has been very conservative in that this year.[/quote]
I think Tonev is right footed Totti. He plays on the left mostly but he’s right footed as far as I know.
Yeah, you’re right.
I only watched the end of this video where he scores a succession of goals with his left and also dribbles quite heavily on it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgTxj5Pa_ZM
Does seem to have a very good left foot in any case.