Sources: Celtic set to lose out on marquee appointment as talks collapse
Eddie Howe’s hopes of reuniting at Celtic with former Bournemouth ally Richard Hughes are close to being extinguished, Football Insider understands.
The path is clear for the Glasgow giants to now hire Man City’s Fergal Harkin as their new director of football.
This site revealed on 20th March that a deal for Harkin, 44, was “90 per cent done” and that has now progressed further down the line.
A Celtic source has told Football Insider that Howe has pushed hard for Hughes to join him north of the border to oversee recruitment and transfers.
Talks have been held with the Glasgow-born former midfielder but they have now collapsed and he is set to remain at Bournemouth.
That will be viewed in many quarters as weakening the position of Howe, who is in advanced talks to fill the long-vacant manager’s position.
Howe made it clear during talks with Celtic he wanted Bournemouth technical director Hughes to join him at Parkhead in the marquee sporting director role, effectively the post earmarked for Harkin.
But the Glasgow giants have major reservations about Hughes, especially after the south-coast club’s Premier League relegation in 2019-20.
There is a strong conviction at Celtic that Harkin can identify and recruit top young talents from across the globe using the connections he has built up.
Moreover, he is a “massive” Hoops fan, and that will play well with supporter during difficult times.
In other news, Celtic have been tipped to re-sign one of their best players of the last 10 years in what would be a sensational move.