Johnny Kenny set to leave Celtic as Preston submit 'bid'
Johnny Kenny is due to leave Celtic before the end of the day after Preston North End reportedly launched a £3million move for his services.
Scottish Sun editor David Friel has reported that Preston are now frontrunners to land Kenny ahead of a host of other English Championship clubs.
Kenny spent the second half of last season on loan at Bolton as he helped the club win promotion to the second tier.
He is now set to move back south of the border to the Championship, with Celtic moving to complete a loan deal for Chelsea forward Shim Mheuka.
Kenny's departure from Parkhead will be imminent as the English window slams shut at 11pm on Tuesday night.
Johnny Kenny finally set for permanent Celtic exit after Preston offer
Kenny emerged as a genuine first-team option for Celtic this time last year under Brendan Rodgers, but soon struggled for regular starts amid a turbulent campaign for the club.
He was forced to leave on loan in January after registering six goals and two assists in 22 appearances for the Hoops in the first half of the season.
Kenny proved his quality at League One level as he struck home six goals and laid on three assists in his first 14 appearances for Bolton.
His season was then curtailed by a serious knee ligament injury suffered at the start of May, but the Trotters still sealed promotion in his absence.
Sources revealed to Football Insider earlier in the window that Celtic were looking to offload Kenny, and he has only slipped further down the pecking order after the arrivals of Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran.
Shim Mheuka signing confirms Kenny's Celtic fate
With Callum Osmand also making an impression under O'Neill last season, Kenny has effectively started this season as the Hoops' fourth-choice striker.
His exit has seemed destined to happen in the next few days since Celtic were first linked to Chelsea starlet Mheuka.
The 18-year-old is in Glasgow undergoing a medical with the Parkhead, and arrives with glowing reviews after shining for the Blues' under-21's last season.
He will be a low-risk option for O'Neill to rotate with his existing strikers, and it is no coincidence that Kenny is set to leave just as he arrives at the club.