Football: Celtic closing in on Naylor

Celtic are closing in on the Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Lee Naylor, but their attempt to sign the PSV Eindhoven striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink remains in the balance.

The Scottish champions have agreed a fee in the region of pounds 5m, but the forward is not happy with the terms. But while supporters will be worried that another player could slip through the net, the Wolves manager, Mick McCarthy, is resigned to losing his long-serving full-back.

Molineux's chief executive, Jez Moxey, asked for a fee of pounds 600,000 plus a Park-head player in exchange. But McCarthy said: "I think we are at a stage where we have got a deal that's acceptable.

"I've said all along that Lee leaving is not what I wanted to happen but with the player out of contract at the end of the season it's probably good business sense."

McCarthy, a former Celtic defender, will also give the 26-year- old his blessing.

"It's probably good team sense as well," he said. "When you've got a player who has done great for the club, if someone comes in for him and he gets that opportunity, I fully understand his desire to move on to fresh pastures."

Vennegoor of Hesselink is the main target of Celtic's manager, Gordon Strachan, although the Celtic board will have to increase its wage offer to land the 27-year-old Dutch international. The player is reported to want a pounds 1m sign-ing-on fee and pounds 30,000 a week in wages. Celtic would be unwilling to meet those demands, even though they are ready to let Stilian Petrov make his move to the Premiership. The Bulgaria international is wanted by the Aston Villa manager, Martin O'Neill, and Portsmouth's Harry Redknapp.

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