Andy O'Brien to Celtic?

[Orchard Celt]

According to todays daily ranger (record) for £2M.


FOOTBALL: CELTS'£2M ANDY SWOOP Jun 4 2005




By Keith Jackson



GORDON STRACHAN has stepped up his rebuilding programme at Celtic by making a surprise £2million move for Newcastle defender Andy O'Brien.

Record Sport can reveal talks are at an advanced stage and that Strachan hopes to have the Republic of Ireland international secured by next week.

The deal has been put together by Kenny Shepherd, son of Newcastle chairman Freddy, who works as an agent from an office in St James' Park.

Strachan's move for O'Brien, who was at Parkhead last weekend for the Jackie McNamara Testimonial, appears to underline suspicions that giant defender Bobo Balde has already set his heart on leaving on a free transfer this summer.

Newcastle are not expected to be hard to deal with as manager Graeme Souness has already made it clear O'Brien is surplus to his requirements for the coming season.

He fell out of favour when Souness went back to former club Rangers last season to sign Jean Alain Boumsong.

Speaking last week, O'Brien said: 'There's been plenty of talk during the last few weeks that players will be leaving and new players will becoming in.

'Every player has a price and you're never certain what the future holds.'

The swoop by Strachan is yet another indication of his determination to build a new-look squad as he bids to win the title back from Ibrox in his first season after replacing Martin O'Neill.

[Plastic Paddy]

I'd take Edna O'Brien at the moment... she couldn't be much worse than the incumbent options at CP. But I digress...

PP

[davey]

Indeed Conor Cruise O'Brien is probably a better bet than Balde at the minute