Celtic manager Neil Lennon is hot on the trail of sought-after Iceland striker Alfred Finnbogason.
Lennon travelled to Holland last week to watch the £5m-rated striker in action for his club side Heerenveen against AZ Alkmaar. However, the Scottish champions will have to see off a fight from a number of clubs across Europe if they are to get their man. Spanish side Villarreal and English Premier League outfit Everton are both rumoured to be set to bid in January.
Lennon has been chasing the Icelandic forward for months but pulled out of a summer deal when he and chief scout John Park failed to agree on a transfer fee.
Instead, the Scottish side turned their attention to Teemu Pukki and Amido Balde, who they bought for a combined fee of £4m. However, Lennon has been left unimpressed with how his new signings have been unable to adapt and by his team’s failure in the Champions League.
The Northern Irishman is said to be determined to improve in Europe’s premier club competition and he feels Finnbogason is the man to help them do that. The 24-year-old has scored 16 times in 15 games this season, despite this Heerenveen has already informed the Icelander they are unlikely to sign an extension to their current deal, which expires in 18 months. Rather than lose him for less than his valuation, Heerenveen now seem likely to cash in on him during the January transfer window.