O'Neill eases fans' fears with promise to bring in some new Bhoys

CELTIC manager Martin O'Neill assured fans he was working hard behind the scenes to bring in new signings.

While Rangers have been busy in the transfer market to wrest power back to Ibrox, the champions have yet to pounce.

But fans, awaiting a replacement for Henrik Larsson and more top-class names, need not be too concerned.

O'Neill said: "I have certain people in mind and I will be pursuing those people as strongly as we possibly can.

"We have no qualifying game for the Champions League this season and we have just about a month before the season starts - but we would like to get people in as quickly as possible.

"However, I am not remotely bothered about some of the media speculation that has gone on.

"We will endeavour to do something relatively quickly but I am not going to be rushed into anything.

"We seem to have been linked with every single available player this summer and it has been news to me on a number of them.

"I will have a look around because we want to improve the squad - and it has always been our intention to do something about it."

O'Neill lost out to Rangers for Nacho Novo but the Hoops boss does not hold a grudge against him. The Dundee man gave the fallen champions an early victory over their fiercest rivals by snubbing Parkhead for Ibrox.

O'Neill said: "We put an offer into Dundee, which we had to do to get permission to speak to the player.

"It was very clear in the 15-minute or so conversation we had with him that he had set his mind on a move to Rangers and that is not a problem.

"There was no actual offer put to him and it is entirely his prerogative that he opted to go to Rangers and I have no problem with that because he made it clear that was his preference."

O'Neill is bemused by some of the names linked with a move to the Glasgow giants - including former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

O'Neill said: "There has been absolutely no contact between any agents or any people with regards to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink."

Meanwhile, Czech Republic defender Martin Jiranek revealed Celtic is his preferred destination after his Euro 2004 performances sparked a bidding war.

The 25-year-old right-back is under contract at Italian outfit Reggina and valued at around £2m.

He played in four of his nation's games in Portugal before being ruled out of the semi-final with Greece because of a groin injury.

Ukrainian Shakhtar Donetsk - possible Champions League qualifier opponents for Rangers - are known to be Celtic's rivals for his signature.