SM
Liverpool vs. Tottenham: 14 hrs 59 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Five replacements for Gary Hooper

:Headline: Five replacements for Gary Hooper: ID:95340: from db_amp
Sports Mole selects five strikers that Celtic may consider as a replacement for Norwich City-bound Gary Hooper.

Following yesterday's confirmation that Gary Hooper is a Norwich City player, Celtic manager Neil Lennon now has the task of finding a replacement for a striker who scored 82 goals in 138 appearances at Parkhead.

If reports are to be believed, Lennon's job will be made even harder by the fact that he will not be given all of the £5m that Norwich paid for the centre-forward to bring in a fresh face.

So, with that in mind, Sports Mole has picked out five frontmen who could fill the Hooper-shaped void, both in terms of value and ability.

Charlie Austin, Burnley

Earlier this month it seemed that Austin was preparing for life in the Premier League with Hull City, only for the Tigers to pull out at the 11th hour over medical concerns. Granted the checks may have shown up a knee issue, but it has not stopped the 24-year-old from scoring 45 goals in 90 appearances for Burnley over the last two seasons. What's more, with just 12 months left to run on his deal at Turf Moor, Celtic may be able to negotiate a cut-price deal.

Kevin Doyle, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Some Celtic supporters may feel that they should be setting their sights a little higher than League One, but it cannot be ignored that the third tier of English football is where Hooper scored a lot of his goals for Scunthorpe United. While Doyle hardly set the world alight for Wolves last season, he has shown in the past that he is a very capable striker. The Republic of Ireland international has scored goals in the Premier League as well, including 13 for Reading during the 2006-07 campaign. The fact that Wolves were relegated at the end of last season may mean that Celtic can secure his services relatively cheaply.

Billy McKay, Inverness Caledonian Thistle

When McKay left Northampton Town in 2011 with just 16 goals from his 84 appearances, it seemed as though his career had stalled. He then moved to Inverness, where he added three goals during his first year in Scotland. However, last season the 24-year-old started to fulfill his potential with 27 goals in all competitions, which in turn helped Caley finish fourth. Although he recently signed a new contract at the Caledonian Stadium, he is unlikely to turn down Celtic's advances.

Billy Sharp, Southampton

Like Hooper, Sharp made a name for himself earlier in his career with Scunthorpe. Back during the 2006-07 season, he scored 30 times to help The Iron gain promotion to the Championship. Since then he has played for the likes of Sheffield United, Doncaster Rovers, Southampton and Nottingham Forest, but despite numerous moves, he still possesses a clinical touch. His chances of starting action are limited with Southampton and consequently he has been made available for transfer.

Leigh Griffiths, Wolverhampton Wanderers

There were few better frontmen in Scotland last season than Griffiths. The Wolves loanee netted 28 goals in all competitions for Hibernian - a statistic that saw him collect the SFWA Footballer of the Year, SPL Player of the Year and SPFA Young Player of the Year awards. The 22-year-old is not just a striker who comes alive in the penalty area either; he can also score from distance and convert free kicks. Wolves are believed to be keen to keep hold of the Scotland international, but the lure of returning to his homeland on a permanent basis could prove too strong.

amp_article__95340 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2013-07-27 12:09:24:
html db last update - 2021-02-23 20:25:19 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Gary Hooper

Click here for more stories about Celtic

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
Championship Group
1Celtic220085275884
2RangersRangers110074245078
3Hearts20114637963
4Kilmarnock10104334952
5St Mirren21014246-446
6Dundee20024659-1341
Relegation Group
1Hibernian21014854-642
2Aberdeen22003749-1241
3Motherwell21015053-340
4Ross County21013459-2533
5St Johnstone20022550-2531
RLivingston21012563-3821
 
First Phase
1Celtic33246380265478
2RangersRangers33243672234975
3Hearts33195946341262
4Kilmarnock33131284334951
5St Mirren33127143843-543
6Dundee331011124454-1041
7Hibernian33912124451-739
8Motherwell33813124651-537
9Aberdeen33811143549-1435
10St Johnstone33710162446-2231
11Ross County3379173256-2430
RLivingston3339212259-3718
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .