ANGE POSTECOGLOU has been linked with a summer move for Norwegian winger Ola Solbakken – IF Filipe Jota does not agree a permanent switch to Celtic.
The Hoops boss is already looking ahead to his third transfer market and has acknowledged there are areas in his squad that need to be strengthened.
Left-back and the wings are two positions where he believes he may be a bit short.
Boli Bolingoli will be on his way at the end of the season which will leave a place in the back four for competition to Greg Taylor with Liam Scales, the £600,000 arrival from Shamrock Rovers, his main challenger at the moment.
Adam Montgomery, too, will return after his short loan stint at Aberdeen.
DEAL OR NO DEAL…Filipe Jota and Celtic are locked in a waiting game.
Liel Abada and Jota have shared most of the duties on the flanks while James Forrest and Mikey Johnston have toiled for game-time. Daizen Maeda arrived on Hogmanay to add his quaities to the left-hand side of the attack.
Solbakken, who scored against the Hoops for Bodo/Glimt in their home and away European Conference League victories over Postecoglou’s team, is now on the Greek-Australian’s radar, according to a report in the Daily Mail.
The 23-year-old international, who had previously been mentioned with a shift to Glasgow, caught the eye in both legs as the Norwegians went through on a 5-1 aggregate.
He is out of contract at the end of the year and his club will accept a reasonable offer for one of the stars of their European run that included a 6-1 rout of Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the earlier rounds.
Jota, though, is the priority target and there is no problem with the £6.5million option fee in his temporary contract which expires at the end of next month.
The Portuguese flyer, 23, who scored his eleventh goal of the campaign in the 2-0 win over Ross County at the weekend, would have to agree personal terms before a deal is struck.
Postecoglou, however, is making sure Celtic have a safety net if a permanent move cannot be agreed.
