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The critical contract dates holding back Celtic’s post-Lawwell set up

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Celtic face a number of contract issues as they try to get a new look management structure in place for next season.

With Peter Lawwell following Neil Lennon out the door there will be as much change off the park as on it with four loan players returning to their parent clubs while Odsonne Edouard, Kris Ajer, Ryan Christie and Olivier Atcham enter the final year of their current deals.

So far Celtic have Dom McKay arriving as CEO on July 1 but getting that date brought forward would help the changeover significantly.

McKay knows his remit and appears to the focussed on the business side of the club which leaves a big gap that most expect to be filled by a Director of Football.

Roberto Martinez and Steve Clarke have been linked with the manager’s job but both are committed to international football into July when Celtic’s most important matches of the season are played to determine which UEFA competition that they will be involved in.

Matteo Tognozzi (currently first team scout at Juventus) is one of the names linked with the Director of Football job but according to a report from Herald and Times he is also tied up until the end of June.

The Sun reports:

The Italian has been quoted among a three-strong shortlist for the position – along with Manchester City’s Fergal Harkin and former Huddersfield star spotter David Webb.

The Herald and Times reports that Tognozzi is willing to make the switch from Turin to Glasgow but he is under contract at the Italian giants – where he is scouting manager – until June 30.

The Italian has also worked at Zenit, Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. Webb has also said that a move to the Hoops – where he could either replace Nick Hammond or work alongside him – would appeal.

Contracts can of course be broken for a price but a month after McKay was announced as Lawwell’s successor there is still no sign of the other pieces in the jigsaw with a number of likely candidates for Director of Football and Manager tied up elsewhere.

Neil Lennon and Brendan Rodgers were both out of work when appointed as Celtic manager, Stromsgodset were paid compensation for Ronny Deila.

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