O’Neill in progressing in hunt for new players

CELTIC manager Martin O’Neill claimed yesterday he was “making progress” in his frantic search for new players.

Since the departures of Henrik Larsson, Liam Miller, Johan Mjallby and Jamie Smith, the club have only signed striker Henri Camara on a season-long loan deal from Wolves.

But with just a fortnight before the transfer window slams shut, he assured the fans that he was working tirelessly to bolster his squad for another crack at the coveted Champions League.

“We’re making progress,” said O’Neill. “But I wouldn’t want to be rushing out and saying we are going to sign these three players and then, come September 1, we have not managed to get them in.

“We need to strengthen the side after losing four players in the summer and getting just one replacement in.”

Despite his efforts, O’Neill refuses to sign anybody he does not think will improve his first team.

The Irishman explained: “I will be doing everything possible to get someone in, but it’s difficult to get the sort of quality we would want in trying to retain the championship and to play in the Champions League.

“That is the quality we’re looking for and that usually costs money either to the club, to the player, or both.

“We are down a bit on numbers, but what worries me more is the quality of player coming to play for the football club and we have a fortnight to do that.”

Triallist Charles-Edouard Coridon, who played against Tottenham on Wednesday before returning to his club, Lens, is hoping he is one of those new Bhoys and O’Neill will let him know his answer early next week.

But the Celtic boss refused to reply to claims from Juninho’s agent Jonathan Hassel that he had snubbed a move to Glasgow to fight for his place at Middlesbrough.

“I’d have very little comment to make on that issue,” said O’Neill.

“We have been linked with a number of players and agents have been talking, so I’ll leave it to them.

The former Leicester boss is so busy that he is yet to talk to those players in the final year of their contracts - Neil Lennon, John Hartson and Bobo Balde.

“John, Bobo and Neil are in their last year and those players are at the top of the list,” continued O’Neill.