Neil Lennon is confident that Gary Hooper will be a Celtic player on February 1.
The Celtic boss watched his top scorer add another two to his tally in the 4-0 win over Dundee United underlying his value to the hoops.
An improved offer from Norwich City was heavily leaked and rejected with Lennon growing tired of the circus that has developed around the former Scunthorpe striker.
“I’m pretty sure Gary will be a Celtic player come February 1,” the Celtic boss stated before his side’s match with Dundee United. “We have had private chats and he is really happy here. He wants to stay, he wants to see out the season, and we will have a look at the situation then.”
While Hooper seems happy enough at Celtic it’s not difficult to detect the workings of agents as detail after detail becomes public knowledge.
Word of an ‘improved Norwich bid has been accompanied by the news that Hooper has turned down a new deal with Celtic with the offer being put on the table in October.
Lennon is streetwise enough to read the signs and is determined to ensure that Celtic don’t end up on the losing side when the matter resolves itself.
“I’m disappointed again that these things have come out in public,” the Celtic boss added. “I’m not too sure where they are coming from but it’s certainly not us.
“It’s as you were. He didn’t like the look of the contract two or three months ago and nothing has changed.
“We feel it’s a very good offer. It would put him in the top two or three highest-paid players at the club. I’m sure he wants to be the highest paid but you can’t always get what you want.
“They have got a lot to think about, Gary and his representatives. If he doesn’t want to sign the contract, that’s his decision. It wouldn’t be my advice, but it’s Gary’s decision, or his representative’s decision.
“We are quite comfortable with that and we respect that. We made this offer in October and all of a sudden it has been rejected. It’s no coincidence that it’s the last 10 days of the (transfer) window, but we are quite comfortable with the whole situation.”
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unless there is a moneybags bid… cant see it happening! I reckon wanyama could be on his way and hoops resigning to soften the blow! not quite sure if I like that scenario either! hh!
Not being funny, but anyone who reckons this is anything bar driving a higher price for Hooper is barking at the moon. Lenny is hardly likely to say “yes, he’s for sale.”. It’s about getting the best price for him, say £10.5m from Spurs as is quoted comes in? Do you really think Lawwell can or will say no to that for an asset purchased at around 1/5 of the price with a depreciating value with every passing day he refuses to re-sign? He will go in January & if he is genuinely happy to go to Norwich after all his bravado about wanting to play for Barca & England then get him to fuck. I accept he was always going to want to go one day but not to that standard of club & it’s a slap in the face to both the club and the fans of that’s his destination. HH
Jamie,
Couldn’t agree more with you. If he really thinks Norwich is a step up from Celtic – both as a club and due to the possibility of playing in the Champions League – get him tae! It’s a shocking, money-grabbing, lack of ambition move.
If £8m is offered before January, i’d bite your hand off for it. Hooper has previous for not giving 100% in bread and butter games – can’t see that changing if he’s whinging about his contract (which, incidentally, is already thousands of pounds every week!) from now until the end of the season.
I don’t really care where he goes, the important thing is we get the best possible deal for him. It’s a very good point about him not trying a leg in some games also here’s a surprising stat he has only ONE assist this season. We will get better and hopefully a CF who can score with his head also. Thanks Gary you’ve done alright with us but I really think your times up, once you say you want away that’s it. Hail hail
Lets be honest here, the target was to qualify from group, job done, weve enough qualty not to miss him, its the value that pisses me off, tell them 15m or he stays put and runs down contract