CELTIC STEP UP ALFIE BID

CELTIC will make an improved offer of £550,000 including add-ons for Charlton Athletic midfielder Alfie Doughty.

The nine-in-a-row champions had their first bid knocked back by the newly-relegated League One side yesterday.

The Hoops, though, have warned the English team they are prepared to wait and land the 20-year-old on a pre-contract, scaled down deal in January if they cannot agree a fee before the transfer window closes on October 5.

Left-sided Doughty is out of contract in June next year and could move to Parkhead in a cross-border switch for a compensation price of around £100,000 in much the same manner as the £500,000 it cost Celtic to land Moussa Dembele from Fulham in the summer of 2016 before his £19.8million move to Lyon two years later, as CQN reported.

Addicks boss Lee Bowyer, speaking to the Daily Record, confirmed: “We did turn down an offer from Celtic.

“And they were at the game at the weekend, from what I understand. But we’ve not heard anything since.

“In an ideal world, and this is just me speaking on how I would advise Alfie, it would be for him to sign another deal and do another year – do a full season with us.

“He only came into the side at a stage later in last season. He did well. He gets himself into great positions – like when he went through against AFC Wimbledon and on Saturday – but it is his end product that he has to work on.

“If he stays with us for another season he will improve more, because he has improved lots since he has been with us.”

However, Bowyer may have no say in the destination of the London outfit’s hottest prospect. The club is currently in a takeover struggle between the current board and previous owners, while other interested parties have also been looking to buy the side that lost their Championship status at the completion of the previous campaign.

It has been claimed Doughty is keen on a move to Neil Lennon’s side in their quest for a historic 10-in-a-row.