RODGERS STEPS UP STRIKER BID

BRENDAN RODGERS will step up his bid for Ivory Coast striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo this week.

Slovakian club DAC have confirmed an approach from the Parkhead boss and are ready to do a deal for the £2.5million-rated frontman, as CQN reported yesterday.

There is also interest in the 14-goal forward from Parma and Rapid Vienna, but the Hoops are leading the race for the 21-year-old attacker.

DAC’s sporting director, Jan Van Daele, has revealed there has been an opening offer from the champions.

He said: “We can confirm we have received an official offer from Celtic of which we acknowledged receipt. We are planning to start the negotiation process in due course.

“He still has two and a half years on his contract, but if such a club with the standing of Celtic wants one of our players it would be difficult to stop it.

“The transfer window is just opening and there is a lot of interest.  We don’t want to kill dreams.

“It is one of the aims of our club to offer a platform for players to go to bigger leagues – but we have a value that must be met.”

Meanwhile, a six-month loan deal for Paris Saint-Germain’s teenage striker Timothy Weah is also likely to be confirmed in the next 72 hours.

Celtic will be without the services of Leigh Griffiths for an indefinite period because of personal issues and manager Rodgers has admitted he is looking to bring in two more strikers in this month’s transfer window.

He was forced to start the weekend game at Ibrox with teenager Mikey Johnston who lasted an hour before being replaced by Odsonne Edouard.