Celtic transfer kitty waits on Champions League

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has hinted that his transfer kitty will only be significantly swelled once his side’s name is guaranteed to be in the Champions League group stage draw.

O’Neill is poised to recruit Sweden goalkeeper Magnus Hedman of Coventry and Hibernian’s Danish defender Ulrik Laursen ahead of the impending Champions League qualifier with either Swiss champions Basle or the best team in Slovakia, Zilina.

The duo are likely to cost a total of more than £3m (€4.8m) and both players were close to completing their moves.

O’Neill said: "If those things can materialise then it would be decent news for us because we have lost one or two players at the back end of last season with Lubo (Moravcik) leaving and just before that the lad (Olivier Tebily) going down to Birmingham.

"I would say that if we can get them in it would give us a start. I’m not so sure that we will be doing anything again before August 8 or whenever the deadline date may be.

"A move before the transfer window would depend on where we were. We have a Champions League hurdle to negotiate first. That would play a part in proceedings."

O’Neill, who was speaking after his side’s 3-0 win at St Mirren last night, also revealed that he would not be travelling to Slovakia for the first leg of the Zilina-Basle match.

Instead, he will take in the deciding leg in Switzerland, which coincides with a friendly with Spurs at White Hart Lane.

He said: "I have sent two boys over to tomorrow’s game and it looks as if I will be heading over next week and just miss out the Tottenham game."

Two goals from David Fernandez plus a late third from Ireland's Liam Miller were enough to sink First Division Saints at Love Street.

The match also marked the latest comeback from injury of giant centre back Bobo Balde, who was such an influential figure during last season’s championship campaign and is now in line to feature on Saturday in the curtain raiser at home to Dunfermline.

O’Neill said: "He’s back at last. He’s been having one of those seasons since he head-butted Didier Agathe down at Portsmouth.

"He’s played the game tonight and that should sharpen him up anyway. He will be all right for Saturday. He’s put himself up for selection anyway after that.

"It was important for him to get 90 minutes played and that’s pleasing for him. It’s as good a reason for getting the game on as any other."