CELTIC are poised to bring in their second signing of the transfer window with winger Jocelin Ta Bi on the way.
The champions landed Mexico international right-back Julian Araujo from Bournemouth on a short-term loan last week and he made his debut as a second-half substitute in the derby defeat at the weekend.
The reverse against the Ibrox club was Wilfried Nancy’s eighth and final game in charge of the Hoops after a disastrous 33 days in which the team lost six matches and dropped TWELVE points in six league outings.
Martin O’Neill answered the SOS for the second time in a topsy-turvy campaign as he agreed to his third stint as the Parkhead club’s gaffer to the end of the season, at least.
THE WAY AHEAD…new Bhoy Julian Araujo during training at Lennoxtown. Image courtesy Celtic TV.
It’s business as usual at the title holders who are pursuing their fifth successive championship – and Ivory Coast international Ta Bi is ready to sign a four-and-a-half year contract, according to a report in sports journal Foot Mercato.
Israeli club Hapoel Petah Tikva are demanding £2million for the 20-year-old right-sided attacker and the Hoops are prepared to meet their asking price while clubs such as Turkey’s Trabzonspor, France’s Reims and Belgium’s Charleroi monitor the situation.
Celtic have yet to replace Nicolas Kuhn who joined Serie A Como in the summer for £17.2million although they splashed £9.7million on two left-sided raiders in Sebastian Tounekti and Michel-Ange Balikwisha during the previous window.
Yang Hyun-jun had been filling in on some occasions, but his progress was hindered when Nancy switched him to a wing-back role.
Ta Bi could help redress the imbalance in the forward line.
If there are no hitches, the youngster could be in O’Neill’s squad for the visit of Dundee United on Saturday.
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