Extreme Football Forum  |  Football Forums  |  Scottish Football  |  Topic: Celtic consider Stokes and Shechter

By Brian McLauchlin and Chris McLaughlin 


Hibernian's board of directors is to meet to discuss Celtic's proposed move for Easter Road striker Anthony Stokes.

BBC Scotland learned that Stokes heads a shortlist of strikers targeted by the Glasgow club, with Itay Shechter also being considered.

But it is believed Celtic will only move for the Hapoel Tel Aviv player if they miss out on Stokes.

Hibs would be looking for a fee in the region of £1m to part with Stokes, their top scorer last season.

"He's an option for us," Celtic manager Neil Lennon said of Stokes on Thursday. "He's a player we like but we have nothing more to say on that at the minute."

But Hibernian manager John Hughes is planning to include Stokes in his starting line-up for Sunday's trip to St Mirren.

"We need him," Hughes told BBC Scotland. "He scores goals and we need a player of Anthony Stokes' quality in the team.

"He was at training this morning playing seven-a-sides wanting to win and scoring goals and is focused and ready to go for Sunday's match. I know there has been an interest but I told him at this moment in time you just keep your focus on Sunday's game.

"We have a fantastic infrastructure, with a new stadium and a magnificent playing surface and a club that I think are going places.

"I want guys of the calibre of Anthony Stokes scoring goals for Hibs. But football is football and all I have heard is speculation and that there has been an interest."

Twenty-two-year-old Stokes, who has three Republic of Ireland caps, first made an impact in Scottish football with Falkirk during the first half of season 2006/07, when he was on loan from Arsenal.

A move from the Emirates Stadium to Sunderland followed and the striker had further loan spells with Sheffield United and Crystal Palace before making a permanent move to Hibs last year.

At Easter Road, Stokes was reunited with his former Bairns manager Hughes and finished season 2009/10 with 23 goals, including two at Celtic Park.

Shechter, who played against Celtic in last season's Europa League, scored 22 league goals in his debut season with Hapoel last term and has six international caps.

Celtic and Hibernian have agreed a fee

By Brian McLauchlin 


Hibernian striker Anthony Stokes has completed a move to Celtic on a four-year deal after the clubs agreed a fee on the last day of the transfer window.

The Easter Road club will receive around £800,000 for parting with their top scorer from last season.

The 22-year-old, who joined Hibs from Sunderland last summer, has three caps for the Republic of Ireland.

"Hopefully I can do well and settle here," said Stokes, who is away on international Under-21 duty all week.

Hibs manager John Hughes has replaced Stokes by agreeing a loan deal with Bristol Rovers for Darryl Duffy.

Stokes headed a shortlist of strikers being targeted by Celtic manager Neil Lennon, with Hapoel Tel Aviv's Itay Shechter also considered.

The Irishman first made an impact in Scottish football with Falkirk during the first half of season 2006/07, when he was on loan from Arsenal.

"I look upon the move down south positively," said Stokes.

"It was good experience for me down there and hopefully I'm coming here a better player.

"I went to Sunderland and made a lot of mistakes and I'm glad I didn't do that here because I wouldn't have the opportunity that I have today to come here and hopefully score a lot of goals and try to be here for as long as possible.

"I was probably a bit more immature then. I'm sure I still have a lot more to learn but coming here on the back of the goals I scored last year with Hibs will give me confidence as well."

A £2m move from the Gunners to Sunderland followed, with the player rejecting the chance to join Celtic, and the striker had further loan spells with Sheffield United and Crystal Palace before making a permanent move to Hibs last year on a free transfer.

At Easter Road, Stokes was reunited with his former Bairns manager Hughes and finished season 2009/10 with 23 goals, including two at Celtic Park.