Celtic look elsewhere in bid to shore up their depleted defence

CELTIC first-team coach Alan Thompson had admitted his club will now be forced to look beyond pre-contract signing Kelvin Wilson to bolster central defensive option that are "down to the bare bones".

With full-back Charlier Mulgrew required to step in for the injured Daniel Majstorovic against Hearts tonight as Glenn Loovens restarts training after a month out, Thompson said "at least one" new central defender before Monday's transfer window closes was imperative " but two would be perfect". Wilson won't be one of them. Forest manager Billy Davies expressed his unhappiness with Celtic counterpart Neil Lennon's very public pinpointing of an immediate transfer for a player who will join in the close season as "one option" to strengthen the club's central defensive choices. The Midlands club were reported to be seeking a 600,000 fee to reluctantly part with Wilson ahead of the run-in to the Championship season.

"As far as I am aware the figures asked for are - I wouldn't say astronomical - but too much to pay in a January window when he out of contract in the summer," Thompson. Asked if he felt Forest were pushing their luck, the Celtic coach responded: "Yeah, I think they are but you can understand the situation as he is their player." In the absence of any new arrivals, Thomas Rogne and Charlie Mulgrew are likely to provide Celtic's central defence partnership for their hugely-hyped hosting of Hearts this evening. The 20-year-old Norwegian admitted yesterday he was as close to a "pure" centre back as the club have fit at the moment. The fact is, Rogne may be as close to a pure centre-back as the club have full stop.

A year and a week on since he signed in a 200,000 deal from Stabaek, he has yet to play a losing 90 minutes for Celtic. He did start the derby defeat at Ibrox in February. However, the hamstring problems that have restricted him to 17 appearances meant he was forced off long before Maurice Edu's last-minute goal. Now injury-free, Rogne is showing what could be in front for him and Celtic. Only six goals have been conceded in his 17 outings, 12 of which have brought clean sheets. Undoubtedly, Rogne has proved the most solid defender at his club this season, with Celtic have giving away fewer goals - 14 - at the 22-game stage than in any campaign since they romped to the championship in 2003-04.

Rogne yesterday did not seem in the least troubled at the prospect of having to perform the role of senior defensive partner as a result of the hamstring injury that has sidelined Majstorovic. "I'm ready to take Daniel's place as the leader if I play. Now that he is out someone has to step up to the plate," Rogne said. "I will do my best.Being vocal is something I can work on although Daniel is a good example for me to learn from. On and off the pitch I'm a totally different person. Off the pitch I'm a quiet guy, but you can't be quiet if you are a central defender."

Rogne isn't dazzled by the fact that Celtic have the enviable record of 12 clean sheets from their 22 league games. "We have kept a lot of clean sheets but it's not all about statistics," he said. "We are still not perfect."

Thompson has backed Hearts to be able to handle defeat tonight and not fall out of a title race they have only really just entered. Victory for Celtic would put them 10 points ahead of Jim Jefferies' team, although the Gorgie side would have a game in hand. "I wouldn't think it would kill them off. The run they are on (with 31 points out of 33] is championship form. If they continue like that until the end of the season then they will be there or thereabouts. It is good to see a third team. You are looking over to see how Rangers are getting on and now you are looking over to see how Hearts are getting on. That can only be healthy."

It was only ever a two-horse race when Thompson was a player at the club, because the Old Firm could financially obliterate the rest. Then, Celtic didn't attempt to build a team with decent prospects in their early 20s who had to grow into coping with the demands. "I was down at Bolton-Chelsea last night and talking to people - like Steve Bruce and David Moyes - about the fees and wages they pay. Clubs up here, us included, can not match that," said Thompson, who was at the Reebok to pay his respects to Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse, whom he knew well. "It's just how it is.

"A lot of our lads have come from foreign countries and have probably been playing in front of 6,000-7,000 people. They are stepping into a club where expectation levels are huge. They can not really afford to lose two games in a row - one is bad enough. There are a lot of them still learning. Even people like Gary Hooper. If they lost three games in a row at Scunthorpe that was okay. It is a different mentality here."