HOOPS TARGET HEADING FOR ‘QUIT’ CLASH

CELTIC target Niclas Eliasson is on course for a confrontation with Bristol City in the summer – if they miss out on promotion to the Premier League.

The winger has been linked with the champions while Serie A giants Lazio and Spanish cracks Villarreal are also monitoring the Swede’s situation.

Eliasson is out of contract in June, but the Championship outfit have an option of extending the deal for another year.

The Ashton Gate side are likely to attempt to trigger the clause which could lead to friction with the player looking to further his career elsewhere.

City would also like the player to agree an extension, but there is NO chance of the flanker putting pen to paper – unless they achieve top-flight status. The team, with ex-Hoops loanee Filip Benkovic in defence after his temporary switch from Leicester City last month, dropped out of the play-off places at the weekend after a 3-1 home loss to Birmingham on Friday evening.

Manager Lee Johnson, speaking to Bristol Live, said recently: “The way I would see it is he has 18 months on his contract, but we would absolutely love it for him to sign a new contract. We value him hugely.

“We’re discussing, he’s changed agents, but we’ve been sitting down and talking about it since the start of the summer, but then agents change, other priorities come in between that. But the simple stance is we’d love him to stay longer.

“In any negotiations it takes time but currently he has 18 months on his contract and we’d love to see it extended.”

Eliasson, 24, joined City for £1.8million from Norkopping in August 2017.

WIND, RAIN AND SHINE AS CELTIC STORM ON