Anthony Stokes to join Celtic for £1.2m today as Hibs secure Darryl Duffy on loan

ANTHONY Stokes will join Celtic today, subject to a medical, after Hibernian agreed to part company with last season's 23-goal top scorer for a fee of £1.2 million.

Stokes, 22, has agreed personal terms with Celtic - who he turned down in 2007 when he was on the books of Arsenal to sign instead for Sunderland - and the Republic of Ireland international will sign a contract with the Parkhead club before the summer transfer window closes this evening.

Neil Lennon has made no secret of his desire to lure Stokes to Celtic and prior to the 1.2m fee being agreed last night, after Hibs rebuffed an initial offer of 800,000, he said: "He's an option for us. With (Gary] Hooper injured, we just need a wee box player or goalscorer. Anthony certainly fits into that category."

Stokes turned in a sluggish performance on Sunday in what has proved to be his last game for Hibs, a 1-0 defeat at St Mirren, and drew criticism from manager John Hughes, who said: "I felt he was poor, but I can understand it with everything on his mind; sometimes you play on emotions and if it was to be his last game I thought he might go out with a bang, but it didn't materialise."

The loss of Stokes is a major blow to Hibs' aspirations for the season, although they have quickly attempted to fill the void left by Stokes by bringing Darryl Duffy to the club on a season's loan from Bristol Rovers.

The 26-year-old, who started his career at Rangers, won two Scotland B caps during a prolific spell at Falkirk, where he thrived under Hughes. Duffy moved from Falkirk to Hull City, then Swansea City, before joining Bristol Rovers in 2008, where he scored 17 goals in 73 appearances. However, he finished last term out on loan to Carlisle United and has again been deemed surplus to requirements this season by the League 1 club.

Duffy, who is delighted to be reunited with Hughes, is hopeful that teaming up again with Hughes can rekindle the form which saw him net 37 times in 68 outings for Falkirk, but he urged Hibs fans to be patient and not to treat him as a ready-made replacement for Stokes.

"I feel I was just never given my chance at Bristol Rovers," he said. "I've got two years worth of frustration built up. I just want to get out on to the pitch and score goals and use some of that frustration and take it out on a few of the teams in the SPL.

"I know people will try and compare me and Stokes but we are different types and different players. Stokesy is Stokesy and I'm me. But I know he had a great scoring record at Hibs and if I can have that type of record here as well then I'll be happy."