CONTRACT rebel James Forrest has emerged as a summer target for West Brom boss Tony Pulis despite the player hoping to get Celtic back to the contract negotiating table.
The Hawthorn side, clear of relegation worries, are already putting together their transfer wish-list for the new season.
And the Scotland international winger, who rejected a new four-year deal at the Hoops in January, is on Pulis’ radar.
Norwich City and Queens Park Rangers are also among clubs who have initially shown an interest in the 24-year-old attacker.
Forrest’s deal expires this year and he is said to be interested in having a crack at England’s top flight after falling out of Ronny Deila’s plans at Parkhead.
Of course, the incoming manager will have the final say on the player’s immediate future.
Forrest however is CQN understands, hopeful that Celtic will come back to the table and offer him a deal that will keep him in Scottish at the soon to be 5 in a Row Champions.
The winger has been a bit player at Celtic during Ronny Deila’s two years in charge with injuries and indeed poor form keeping him out of the side.
On his day Forrest can be a very special football player. At Celtic he has failed to deliver often enough to make a summer move seem likely, despite the player’s wishes to remain in Glasgow.
Charlie Mulgrew, 29, who will be a free agent at the end of the campaign, has also been linked with West Brom while Paul Lambert’s Blackburn Rovers and Bournemouth are watching the situation.
Lambert is unlikely to be at Blackburn much longer and will emerge as a candidate for the Celtic vacancy as a result. If he is to get the job it will unquestionably be as a result of others not taking it before he becomes the top candidate.
Whoever gets the Celtic job will no doubt wish to reduce the squad size and both Forrest and Mulgrew must be thinking that their time in Paradise could be nearing an end.
