By Wayne Veysey

3rd Mar, 2021 | 7:00am

Sources: Eddie Howe stance on Celtic job revealed after contact made

Eddie Howe is interested in the vacant Celtic post but is eyeing a Premier League job this summer, Football Insider understands.

The 43-year-old was first linked with the Glasgow giants last November and is one of the favourites to take over from Neil Lennon.

A Celtic source has told Football Insider that the club have made contact with Howe to assess his potential interest in the role in what has been described as the early part of their search process.

For his part, Howe is keeping his options open and is keen to make a return to the Premier League.

The Crystal Palace job is one that especially interests him amid major doubts over Roy Hodgson’s future.

The 73-year-old is out of contract in the summer and Palace are keen to lower the average age of a grizzled squad and hiring a younger manager who can bring through the next generation.

The Newcastle United job is also one that could become available and Howe would be interested in that.

Celtic are keen on hiring a manager with a proven track record in developing and improving players on the training ground, especially young talent.

Howe would fit the bill given his track record at Bournemouth, who he led to a remarkable three promotions and also established them as a Premier League club for five years.

Intriguingly, Celtic the board did not believe there was an “outstanding” alternative to Lennon when his job was first under threat last November, and that included Howe.

Lennon resigned as Celtic manager Wednesday of last week, with John Kennedy placed in interim charge while the club set their sights on a new permanent boss.

Kennedy was the early bookmakers’ favourite to secure the job full-time and is set to remain at the helm for the rest of this season.

In other news, the Celtic manager hunt has hit a stumbling block after McKay news emerges.