Source: Northern_Echo
Boro line up Celtic quartet
MIDDLESBROUGH will hold talks with Gary Caldwell and Barry Robson within the next 48 hours after agreeing a fee of around £1.7m with Celtic for the pair.[LNB] And boss Gordon Strachan has also lined up two more Bhoys Willo Flood and Chris Killen until the end of the season.[LNB] The quartet are due on Teesside over the weekend and Strachan expects to tie up the deals early next week, enabling them to join their new team-mates ahead of next Saturday's trip to Sheffield United.[LNB] Strachan hopes there will be no late hitches with the permanent signings of Caldwell and Robson, having spent the best part of a month trying to convince Celtic to part with them.[LNB] However, in Caldwell's case, the former Newcastle United and Hibernian centreback is also being tracked by Wigan and the lure of Premier League football could still prove decisive.[LNB] Strachan, however, remains confident his relationship with the 27-year-old will help to convince him the Riverside rather than the DW Stadium is the place to be, particularly how both clubs are offering similar wages.[LNB] Caldwell was taken to Celtic Park by the Middlesbrough manager in July 2006 and has since become a key member of the Scotland squad, earning 32 caps for his country.[LNB] He was going to leave at the end of his contract for nothing in June, but Strachan has managed to convince Celtic boss Tony Mowbray to part now.[LNB] Robson, a central midfielder, moved to Celtic from Dundee United for £125,000 two years ago and the 31- year-old was one of the better players in last week's 1-1 Old Firm draw with Rangers.[LNB] The two other proposed signings are more surprising.[LNB] Both Killen, 31, and Flood, 24, were also signed by Strachan but have struggled to make an impact at Parkhead.[LNB] Target-man Killen, a New Zealand international intent on playing in the World Cup, has made just four SPL starts for Celtic in two-and-a-half years, scoring twice.[LNB] Flood, who started at Manchester City, only moved to Glasgow 12 months ago and has started just twice in the SPL.[LNB] Strachan has also been looking at bringing Scott McDonald, Mark Wilson and Stephen McManus from Celtic, but deals for those would now seem unlikely.[LNB]
