ROY KEANE could look to raid his old club Manchester United should he return to Celtic to replace Neil Lennon at Parkhead.
The 49-year-old has reportedly held talks with the Hoops about taking the vacant manager’s position after Lennon resigned last month.
3
SunSport exclusively revealed last month that Keane – who retired as a player at Celtic in 2006 – was keen to return to Glasgow to take charge of the club.
Bookmakers Betfair have suspended betting on Keane taking the reins of Celtic.
Spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said: “On Monday, Keane was 15/2 to take over from Neil Lennon but punters heavily backed the Irishman into 1/3 before the market was suspended on Thursday afternoon.
“It seems clear to punters that Celtic are ready to name their new manager and that Roy Keane will be walking through the door any time now.”
Keane hasn’t held a managerial job since leaving Ipswich in 2011, but he knows he has a task on his hands should he take control at Celtic, with the club in desperate need of an overhaul.
A number of players are expected to either be sold, or return to their parent club once their loan spell at Celtic comes to an end.
The Hoops are in need of a new goalkeeper having alternated between Scott Bain, Vasilios Barkas and Conor Hazard this term.
And they could turn to former shot-stopper David Marshall, 36, who is currently plying his trade at Derby.
With right-back Jonjoe Kenny to return to Everton after his loan is completed, Celtic could turn to his Toffees team-mate Seamus Coleman.
Keane knows Coleman well from the Ireland set-up, and with the defender having just a year left on his deal at Goodison Park, he could be tempted to reunite with the Sky Sports pundit.
Left-back Diego Laxalt will also move back to AC Milan, and Keane could look to bring Manchester United’s Brandon Williams in on loan.
The youngster is behind both Luke Shaw and Alex Telles in the pecking order at Old Trafford, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen for him to get regular playing time.
Christopher Jullien could have a new centre-back partnership with Kristoffer Ajer urged by Norway boss Stale Solbakken to leave Celtic.
Motherwell’s Declan Gallagher has been linked with Celtic in the past, and the 30-year-old could return to the club he came through the youth ranks at.
With Scott Brown leaving to join Aberdeen on a player-coach deal, Callum McGregor is likely to become Celtic’s skipper.
And he could partner James Garner in the middle of the pitch, with the Manchester United youngster another player Keane could look to sign.
Ir remains to be seen whether Garner has a long-term future at the Theatre of Dreams having been on two loan spells this campaign.
James Forrest is likely to keep his place on the right wing, with Burnley’s Robbie Brady to potentially start on the opposite flank.
David Turnbull could line up in the No10 role, with another United starlet in Joe Hugill leading the line.
Odsonne Edouard seems destined to leave, with Arsenal and Leicester said to be interested in the Frenchman.
Celtic could turn to Hugill, who has chipped in with ten goals in 17 games in Premier League 2 this season.
