EDDIE HOWE has moved closer to being named Celtic’s new boss after meeting kingmaker Dermot Desmond.
SunSport revealed yesterday that Howe is eager to take charge at Parkhead after being sounded out for the job.
We told that Howe had reached out to his trusted contacts with connections to the club as he weighed up a shock move to Glasgow.
Now we can break the news that the former Bournemouth boss has held face-to-face talks with billionaire Desmond over the prospect of succeeding Neil Lennon.
Joining them for the hush-hush London summit was outgoing Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, who will leave his role at the end of the season.
It’s understood Howe, who worked a miracle at Bournemouth, taking them from near-League Two oblivion to the Premier League over two spells, is now the top choice to take on Steven Gerrard’s title-winning Rangers next season.
And his appointment could even be announced as early as next week, with the Celtic board coming under increasing pressure from fans to seal a deal ahead of season-ticket renewals being sent out.
The potential deal for Howe could see him earn close to Brendan Rodgers’ bumper £2.3million salary.
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But his detailed talks with Desmond and Lawwell still leave him with a decision to make if he wants to come to Glasgow — and turn his back on potential summer vacancies at Newcastle and Crystal Palace.
Howe is wise enough to seek assurances on bringing in his own backroom staff and being handed a sizeable transfer budget.
He knows the current Hoops squad faces a tumultuous close season.
Captain Scott Brown is heading to Aberdeen, top scorer Odsonne Edouard is likely to be sold and loan players will leave.
Howe, 43, would also want to be sure of an anticipated new director of football and plans to urgently overhaul a recruitment set-up that backfired spectacularly as Celtic failed in their ten-in-a-row bid.
Over £10million was splurged on Vasilis Barkas, Albian Ajeti and Shane Duffy.
Head of football operations Nick Hammond left Parkhead this week.
Howe could be keen for close friend and current Bournemouth technical director Richard Hughes — who won five Scotland caps — to join him in the east end.
Meanwhile, it’s believed Fergal Harkin, currently loan and pathways manager at Manchester City, has now been earmarked for a key role in the restructured football set-up.
After weeks of careful consideration, Celtic chiefs now have a clear vision of how they should approach the future.
The immediate priority will be to wrestle back the title from Rangers.
Howe and Harkin are at the forefront of their thinking to achieve that, but it remains to be seen if and when agreements can be struck.
Celts have confirmed Scottish Rugby supremo Dominic McKay will succeed Lawwell as chief executive on July 1, with Howe now overwhelming favourite to be named as Lennon’s permanent successor in the dugout.
But they still need a new captain and an overhaul of the squad, which John Kennedy is leading into the Scottish Cup defence on Saturday.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
