Re-signing Forster the priority but Celtic still able to spend big

According to Lennon, re-signing Fraser Forster is the “priority”. Otherwise the manager is aware that the Englishman will be making his last appearance for the club tomorrow after another solid season between the posts. Celtic have been linked with a move for Craig Gordon, soon to be out of contract with Sunderland. But Lennon, it seems, would prefer to sign up the on-loan Newcastle United player on a permanent deal, with a £2 million fee reported to be agreed between the clubs. The manager is beginning to get frustrated by the impasse with the player himself.

“We will get Sunday out of the way and we really want to keep him,” said Lennon. “We have a decent offer on the table. It’s just a case of nailing down personal terms. If you can get hold of his agent, we would appreciate it. He is being very elusive. We are trying to make contact with him but it has been very difficult over the last couple of weeks.

“We can’t wait forever, he is aware of that,” he added. “We have been talking for a few weeks but eventually we need to sit down with his agent and him, and thrash something out. That is our focus.”

There are others who could be making their last appearance at Parkhead tomorrow, when Celtic celebrate their first title win in four years. Lennon is aware that he might have to sell at least one big name in order to fund further moves in the transfer market, although he is confident that, if he wanted to, then there is the wherewithal to push the boat out for one marquee signing. It is, however, a big call. “We still could spend £3-4 million [on a player] if we need to,” he said. “But you have to get that one right. I am wary of that when spending that amount on one player. I need to be sure that he is worth the money and will make us better.”

Lennon has had initial meetings with chief executive Peter Lawwell as they begin preparations for next season’s attempt to make it through to the Champions League group stage. “We are having to trim the wage bill right down and trim the squad as well, and hopefully we can get [maximum] valuation for those players we want to sell,” he said. “That will increase my budget. We might have to sell one player. Ideally, we would like to keep the squad together. If we can get the money from elsewhere then we will.”

Lennon had not yet thought about what he will say when he takes the microphone again to address the supporters at the end of the game. Last season he announced that it is “not the end, only the beginning” as he eased the fears of fans who thought that a traumatic season might have taken its toll on the manager. “I don’t mean to give out these soundbites,” he said. “It’s just what comes into my head at the time.

“At the time people were thinking: ‘is he going to leave the club because of the stuff happening off the field?’ I just felt there was a lot of work to do with the team I had built. I am very satisfied with the way they have gone about their business.”

Brown, meanwhile, yesterday confirmed his availability for Scotland’s trip to Florida to play the United States at the end of the month, while he also relished the thought of lifting the league championship trophy for the first time in his reign as skipper. “It’s been four years since this club picked it up,” he said. “It is great to bring it back, especially at home. Lifting up a trophy is something you dream about, particularly in front of the home fans.

“I know we won it at Kilmarnock when it was like a home game for us, because we had the three stands. But in front of 60,000 fans it is going to be incredible.”