CELTIC’S £2million Ivorian transfer target Ismail Soro is at the centre of a mystery.
The midfielder declared he was already on his way to Scotland to complete a deal that has become increasingly complicated over the past 48 hours.
However, the Hoops dismissed Soro’s claims, although the champions still remain confident they will sign the player from Israeli outfit Bnei Yehuda.
Soro revealed on Wednesday night: “I will probably leave tomorrow to fly to Glasgow.”
However, it looks as though the 21-year-old powerhouse was a little premature in his admission.
Chief executive Peter Lawwell, according to a report in the Daily Record, is hopeful Soro will be given the green light to put pen to paper on a four-and-a-half-year contract over the weekend.
However, the club supremo still has to resolve a number of issues which have held up the 21-year-old anchorman’s arrival.
The players representatives are understood to have been in dispute with the Israeli club over the size of the percentage of the transfer fee – while the Parkhead men are also waiting for a work permit to be approved before they can sign off on the deal.
Despite the unexpected delay, it is hoped there will be an agreement among all parties involved and the move is imminent.
Soro said his farewells to his team-mates after their Israeli Cup success against Hapoel Afula in midweek, as CQN reported.
A club statement said: “It’s impossible to know at the moment whether Ismaila Soro will be in the squad for our next game against Hapoel Kfar Saba on Monday or not.”
Neil Lennon is are still expecting to announce Soro as his second signing of this window after his £3.5million capture of Polish striker Patryk Klimala.
