Source: Daily_Mail
Celtic bid £1.5m for Stoke City midfielder Liam Lawrence
Celtic have made a £1.5million offer for Stoke City midfielder Liam Lawrence as incoming boss Neil Lennon stepped up his rebuilding plans. [LNB]Sportsmail understands the Parkhead club have now opened formal negotiations with their English Premier League counterparts over the Republic of Ireland international. [LNB]Stoke chairman Peter Coates is believed to be looking for in excess of £2m for the 28-year-old winger, who is keen to move to Celtic if a deal can be struck. [LNB] First in: Celtic are poised to make £1.5m Stoke star Liam Lawrence their first summer signing[LNB]Lawrence could become the first signing under Lennon - whose confirmation as manager is still expected before the end of the week - but faces competition for that honour. [LNB]Cardiff City midfielder Joe Ledley, also a potential target for Rangers, visited Lennoxtown earlier this week for talks, while Celtic are also understood to be edging closer to a season-long loan deal for Hull City playmaker Jimmy Bullard. [LNB]Lawrence has told Stoke boss Tony Pulis that he wants out of the Brittania Stadium after becoming frustrated over limited first-team starts. Newcastle and Wolves have also taken an interest in the former Sunderland man, but Celtic hope to steal a march on their rivals and tie up a deal this week. [LNB]A further £500,000 on the table could be enough to seal the deal, with Stoke seeking cash to fund their own summer transfer plans. [LNB] Talks: Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley is being circled by a number of top European clubs but he has already spoke to Celtic chiefs over a possible move[LNB]Welsh international Ledley was in Glasgow on Monday to tour Celtic's facilities and left with a positive impression. Available for free if he moves to a club outwith the English league structure, the highly-rated 23-year-old is now due to head to Portugal for a holiday. [LNB]A move to Parkhead, on wages in excess of £20,000 per week, is an attractive option for Ledley. Rangers could enter the fray, but the Cardiff man may also take a grand tour of Europe before determining his next destination. [LNB]So long, Jimmy: Hull are keen to offload high-earner Bullard[LNB]Roma are one of two Italian clubs keen on his signature, while Turkish giants Galatasaray and Fenerbahce, plus Greek outfit Panathinaikos, are also interested. [LNB]West Ham, Wigan, Blackburn and Stoke are among a clutch of Premiership sides linked with Ledley, although transfer regulations mean they would have to hand Cardiff significant compensation despite the player being out of contract. [LNB]Bullard is also thought to be warming to the idea of a move to Glasgow after Newcastle appeared to drop their interest in him. Hull are anxious to shift his £45,000-per-week wages after being relegated from the top flight. [LNB]The interim boss and his representatives held further talks with the Parkhead hierarchy last night as they iron out the remaining details ahead of his appointment. [LNB]The addition of an experienced figure to aid Lennon - alongside assistants Johan Mjallby and Alan Thompson - remains a key issue. [LNB]It is understood options for that potential post have now been whittled down and a final decision is expected within the next 48 hours. [LNB] Geordie Bhoy! Thompson set for Celtic return as Lennon closes in on jobRepublic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni snubs Celtic jobSol stalls over Celtic switch in last ditch attempt to stay at ArsenalCELTIC FC
