CELTIC were last night closing in on a permanent deal for Manchester City striker Ched Evans. Chief executive Peter Lawwell is understood to have travelled south for talks as he seeks to tie up a £1m-plus deal for the 20-year-old, who has won six Welsh caps.
City were originally thought to be in favour of only a loan move for the player, who scored 10 goals in 20 games on loan to Norwich last year, an arrangement to which Celtic were not averse. But with the Manchester club making big-name signings in an
unprecedented spending spree, Evans has been told he can leave.
Meanwhile, Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has dismissed the notion of Celtic actively seeking a buyer for the recently- disciplined Aiden McGeady. Asked if the winger was for sale, Strachan said: "No," before adding, "but in saying that, everyone's available for transfer if Kaka can leave (AC Milan for Manchester City for a £108m fee]. But I don't want anyone to leave. If Kaka can leave AC Milan, anyone who says no one's for sale is crazy now."
One player keen to stay at Celtic is Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink. The Dutch striker is now back in first-team contention following 16 weeks out with a pelvic injury and says he hasn't even considered anything other than the fact that a one-year staying-on option will be activated as his three-year deal ends this summer.
"Everything is open but I like it here; life in Scotland treats me well and the family like it, which is very important for me," said Vennegoor of Hesselink, signed from PSV Eindhoven for £3.4m in July 2006. "Celtic is a great club to play for and that is the situation right now. I'm not really thinking much about it. If you enjoy it there's no reason to think about moving like you read about other players these days."
