CELTIC are set to complete the £5m capture of goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas from AEK Athens, as Neil Lennon also looks to seal a loan deal for West Ham striker Albian Ajeti before the start of the Premiership campaign.
Herald Sport understands that Greek international Barkas will sign a four-year deal with the Scottish champions today after Celtic increased their original offer for his services and included a sell-on clause.
The club have been on the hunt for a new number one since Fraser Forster rejected the opportunity of another loan move from Southampton, and Lennon believes that 26-year-old Barkas is the man to fill his formidable gloves. The player is travelling to Glasgow today and will put pen to paper if all goes well with his medical.
Meanwhile, Lennon played down reports in England yesterday that a season-long loan deal with an option to buy had already been agreed with West Ham for Swiss striker Ajeti. While admitting he had discussed bringing the player in with Head of Football Operations Nick Hammond and chief executive Peter Lawwell, Lennon said: "I'm not aware of that. I was talking to Nick and Peter on Monday and hopefully we will have some sort of resolution this week.
"We're not there yet [in terms of the squad]. We'd like to get a couple more in as we let seven or eight leave in the summer.
"Moi (Elyounoussi) was already here so we could do with freshening up a bit and give extra impetus to what's already a good squad.”
Celtic’s move to bring Ajeti in on loan comes even as Lennon declared himself delighted with the comeback performance of Leigh Griffiths, with the striker shining in a half-hour cameo in a 3-1 friendly win over Hibernian yesterday.
"You can't have enough good strikers in the building,” he said. “Leigh has missed a lot of football over the last few years but at 29 he is still at his peak. He just has to maintain that now.
"But it doesn't change the fact we will look to bring one in. Bayo is out with a hamstring injury but we are hoping he will be fit at some stage next week.
"But that game will have done both Leigh and Patryk (Klimala) the world of good.
"Leigh was great. He looks great and it's the best I've seen him in a long time, in terms of how he looks in his conditioning.
"I am delighted with his response in terms of what we've asked of him.
"He just has to maintain it now as he will be a real asset for us - no question.”
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