O'Neill rules out Kleberson move

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has all-but ruled out the winter arrival of Brazilian superstar Kleberson.

The Atletico Paranaense midfielder was a loan target for the Parkhead boss before the transfer window closed in August.

O’Neill would still be interested in a similar deal, but with Leeds United leading the chase for a permanent swoop he admits his hopes of any deal is unlikely now.

“The short answer there now is absolutely not,” said O’Neill.

“First of all when we obtained the work permit it was a loan with a view to seeing how things went – whether he would like the scene and whether he would fit in.

“He has the ability to feature in the club’s future, but we were interested in whether he would take to it so a loan was the sensible outcome for the first few months.

“But now things have changed in that there are a number of teams who are wanting to buy him so that’s out of the question.

“A loan is another issue and I wouldn’t start ruling anything in and out at the minute, but if you want my honest opinion then I would say it is unlikely from our view point.”

But O’Neill will sit down with his directors to discuss the possibility of bringing in new faces although he admits a major winter influx looks out of the question.

He continued: “We are still in European football so it would be silly to be looking at off-loading players at this time.

“Any arrivals very much depends on the games we have between now and the break and if we have a couple of serious injuries and there are players out for the same length of time as Johan Mjallby then that is something we will have to look at.

“It could well be that after those three games something could happen in February and March.

“We will still be involved with European football and we are on the tails of Rangers and are in every competition at the minute so that’s something we will have to look at.

“I don’t think you can spend all January looking for players, but I will sit down with the board and discuss the situation.”

The transfer window comes into affect in the New Year, but O’Neill claims that FIFA’s new measure has done no favours to anybody in football.

He is one of many against the system although he admits that it does have a good point.

“I have had no definite offer for any of my players,” said O’Neill. “But that doesn’t mean that by January time that it could change when things hot up.

“The transfer window has caused a few problems all round and I’m not so sure that anybody agrees with it or it has helped anybody.

“The only good news is that I don’t get agents ringing me up every 15 minutes which is always good, but it’s not been great news for anybody.”

But one player who looks to be returning to Parkhead is Brazilian miss-fit Rafael Scheidt after failing to win a permanent deal with Corinthians after an extended loan spell.

The centre-half was bought by John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish for £4.8million in 1999, but failed to get a look-in under the new manager.

O’Neill, however, admits he faces a big problem in trying to gain a work permit for him after his current documents expired.

“I think that is the case at the minute,” conceded O’Neill. “His work permit has run out so that’s going to be a problem.

“I’m probably no further forward with that that and so gaining a work permit is a massive obstacle.