FOOTBALL: KIENTZ NEXT ON HIT LIST 10.64.STR.EPSF.
CELTIC are set to continue their summer spending spree by moving for Bundesliga star Jochen Kientz.The Munich 1860 defender has been pinpointed by technical director Kenny Dalglish and coach John Barnes as the man to further shore up the club's defence.
Kientz is available at a cut-price pounds 500,000 after a bust-up with his coach Werner Lorant.
The player, who has a reputation for being outspoken, claimed that 80 per cent of the Munich dressing room wanted Lorant out.
That comment cost the centre half a place in the team and he played only eight games last term after starring 30 times for 1860 in the previous season.
Dalglish's Euro-wide network of scouts tipped him off about Kientz's availability and moves are now underway to bring the 26-year-old to Parkhead.
Celtic know they will start the season without Alan Stubbs as he continues to recuperate from illness and Marc Rieper is still deciding whether to try to overcome the toe injury that is threatening his career.
Barnes has already tied up Frenchman Olivier Tebily from Sheffield United but needs another centre back to bolster his back division.
Kientz, who had a loan spell at Coventry four years ago, has also played with Eintracht Frankfurt and Spanish duo RCD Majorca and Logrones.
He has a year left on his contract at Munich 1860 but would jump at the chance of a move to Glasgow.
While Kientz may be moving in, Celtic's hopes of completing Stilian Petrov's transfer from CSKA Sofia were dealt a body blow yesterday when the Department of Employment rejected his work permit application.
Celtic will now take the matter to an appeals tribunal - the first of its kind in Britain - as they try to convince the authorities that the Bulgarian would enhance the Scottish game.
The 19-year-old midfielder has been knocked back because he does not meet the criteria that demands he must have played 75 per cent of his country's international matches over the past two years.
Celtic will argue that the player's age has made that impossible but the club now knows that there is little chance of having Petrov in their team before the start of the season and, with CSKA Sofia due to play a UEFA Cup tie on August 12, the player will be cup-tied if he plays.
A spokesman for the Department of Employment said: "The work permit for Stilian Petrov has not been granted and Celtic have been informed. However, under the new criteria, there is now an appeals procedure in place.
"We are in the process of setting up a panel. This will consist mainly of members of football's governing bodies such as the SFA and SPL and they will be accountable to Secretary of State, David Blunkett."
Eyal Berkovic arrived in Glasgow yesterday to undergo the medical that should see him finally become a Parkhead player today.
A fee of pounds 5.5m has been agreed with West Ham and, with all but the most minor personal details still to be tied up, it seems certain that Berkovic will join his new team-mates in Norway this week.
The team flies out today and, although it is unclear if Berkovic will be on the flight, Dutch winger Bobby Petta will.
He, too, underwent a medical yesterday and will almost certainly complete the formalities that will make him a Celtic player by this afternoon.
But it's unlikely that Everton's attacking midfielder Nick Barmby will join Celtic. Both clubs have denied the move.
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| Title Annotation: | Sport |
|---|---|
| Author: | Docherty, John; McCARTHY, DAVID |
| Publication: | Daily Record (Glasgow, Scotland) |
| Date: | Jul 10, 1999 |
| Words: | 583 |
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