Sources: Celtic submit Joseph offer as Tottenham up the ante

Celtic have offered a pre-contract to Wigan Athletic striker Kyle Joseph as they look to fend off growing Tottenham interest, Football Insider can reveal.

The Hoops are working on tying up a deal for Joseph, 19, ahead of his contract expiring in the summer.

But a recruitment source has told Football Insider that Celtic are wary of competing interest in the Scotland youth international, notably from Tottenham.

The Scottish giants have moved to try and wrap up an early deal for Joseph by offering him a long-term contract.

It would see the rising star head to Glasgow at the end of the season, with a compensation fee of just £300,000 paid to Wigan.

But Celtic have not sealed the signing yet and Tottenham are keen as well as city rivals Rangers.

Football Insider revealed that week that Tottenham are compiling a dossier on the young forward before deciding whether to push ahead with a formal offer.

Spurs' former manager David Pleat, who works for the club as a consultant, is actively involved in checking out Joseph's character and personality through his vast network of contacts.

The teenager is currently out with a back injury expected to sideline him for an extended period.

This site revealed at the end of January that Celtic had made an approach for Joseph and Wigan also rejected an offer of around £500,000 for Joseph from Barnsley in the last window.

The London-born youngster, who has been capped at Scotland at Under-19 level, did not make his debut until October and then banged in five goals from just 14 league appearances.

That included a hat-trick against Burton Albion in the league at the end of December.

In other news, Campbell: Celtic ‘won’t take this lying down’ amid two big Rangers players updates.