Celtic should make Eddie Howe approach after dramatic development

Celtic should be prioritising a move to make Eddie Howe their new manager as Martin O'Neill's exit looks inevitable in the coming months.

Celtic headed into the international break on the back of three successive defeats in key games.

Two losses to old enemies Rangers and a Europa League defeat at home to Ferencvaros saw O'Neill admit that he would have to question his position in charge.

Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson has insisted that they are backing the 74-year-old as their boss, but a parting of the ways seems pretty likely soon if their bad form continues when club football resumes.

Howe remains out of work and two of the biggest UK bookies believe that Celtic's chances of tempting him to Parkhead have improved over the last 24 hours.

The former Newcastle manager, 48, is taking some time out to recharge after five years on Tyneside and should be the Hoops' absolute number one priority as the other possible options are not very inspiring

Eddie Howe sees Celtic next job odds slashed to 9/1

Howe stepped down as Newcastle boss just weeks before the start of the new campaign as he felt he had taken their team as far as he could following five years in charge.

The Magpies' tough summer window likely fuelled his decision, but his exit was mainly put down to a lack of energy and needing some time out of the game altogether.

Howe certainly did an impressive job at St James' Park overall, and would be a huge coup for Celtic if they landed him after a likely exit for O'Neill.

He was on the verge of being appointed Hoops boss in 2021, but pulled out after three months of talks after failing to convince his backroom staff to move north.

Howe went on to be an overawing success at Newcastle, leading them to their first major silverware in 70 years and three consecutive top-seven finishes in the Premier League.

Stenhousemuir boss Marvin Bartley, who worked under Howe at Bournemouth, recently admitted he "wouldn't be surprised" to see his ex-boss end up as Celtic manager soon.

He is said to "love that big club feel" that he had at Newcastle, with the demands of constant glory and deep European runs surely enough to tempt him to Parkhead.

Celtic need to move quickly to get a verbal agreement sorted with the 48-year-old before other linked clubs approach him with better offers, with O'Neill's exit surely inevitable in the coming weeks.

Which other jobs has Howe been linked to?

Several top bookmakers have drawn up odds on his next job, with two companies slashing his price to take over at Celtic to 9/1 in the last 24 hours.

Man United lead the odds to be Howe's next role in the dugout, at odds of 2/1, while West Ham are second favourites at 11/2 odds.

Sources have exclusively revealed to Football Insider that Howe has been lined up to replace Thomas Tuchel as England boss if the FA look to part ways with him soon, but that certainly seems unlikely after the German signed a new contract extension in the summer.

The Three Lions job is 6/1 to be his next appointment, with Spurs priced at 7/1 as Roberto De Zerbi comes under real pressure.