THIRD BID: CELTIC STEP UP ALFIE PURSUIT

DETERMINED Celtic will launch a THIRD bid for Charlton Athletic midfielder Alfie Doughty.

The Hoops have had two offers rejected by the League One side, but are not prepared to accept no for an answer in their pursuit of the 20-year-old left-sided performer.

Boss Neil Lennon stepped up his efforts to land Doughty after the season-long loan exit of blunder Bhoy Boli Bolingoli to Turkish champions Basaksehir, as CQN reported earlier this week.

Doughty is on the nine-in-a-row champions wanted list, but the London outfit rejected the first proposal of £550,000 and the follow-up bid of £650,000.

Now the Parkhead side are prepared to splash £800,000 on the highly-rated youngster who will be a free agent next summer and will be entitled to agree a pre-contract in January. That would see him leave with the club only getting a meagre cross-border compensation fee which could be around the £150,000 mark.

Lennon, though, is hoping an offer of £800,000 with add-ons will persuade the newly-demoted club to accept the cash and get the deal done before the October 5 deadline, according to a report in the Scottish Sun.

Charlton are desperate to keep Doughty, with gaffer Lee Bowyer publicly advising against a move to Scotland’s title kings.

The Londoners, though, are in financial turmoil and are the subject of a takeover bid by Danish businessman Thomas Sandgaard.

Nick Hammond, the Celts’ recruitment chief, recently watched Doughty in action before they made the opening bid.

Now they are hoping it is third time lucky as they continue to chase the skilful youngster who is believed to be thrilled at the prospect of joining the Parkhead men.