N'Guemo's move to Celtic not a done deal yet

Published on Thursday 9 July 2009 12:44

CELTIC manager Tony Mowbray is set to make Landry N'Guemo his second signing within the next 48 hours.

However, the midfielder has yet to complete his loan move to the Glasgow giants despite reports on Nancy's website.

The French club claimed he had sealed a season-long loan move to the Hoops, with the option of making the transfer permanent.

Speaking as N'Guemo's former Nancy team-mate Marc-Antoine Fortune was unveiled at Parkhead this morning, Mowbray said: "He's not a Celtic player as we sit here today otherwise he would be sitting here with us.

"With any of these deals there are always things that can go wrong, there are always things that can crop up at the last minute and can muddy the waters.

"Until any deal is done, it's best we don't get too deep into that."

N'Guemo will not travel with the rest of the squad on their trip to Australia for Sunday's opening pre-season friendly against Brisbane Roar but is expected to complete his move in the next day or two.

However, one player who looks unlikely to be joining Mowbray at Celtic is Derby winger Kris Commons.

The Scotland international was linked with a move north of the border but the Hoops boss dismissed the speculation.

"I saw that running the other day and I'm not sure where that has come from," Mowbray said.

"He's not a player we have discussed. It's the power of TV. The whole world believes something if they see it running across their screens.

"If I was a supporter, I would probably have believed it also."

Fortune played under Mowbray while on loan at West Brom last season and says the opportunity to join forces with his former boss convinced him to move to Celtic despite offers to remain in the Barclays Premier League.

"Celtic is a massive club and that's why I made my decision," he added.

"I also worked with Tony Mowbray so that's why I'm here.

"It's my job as a striker to score goals and I want to score goals here.

"I want to play good football and make the fans happy."