According to reports in today's press, Celtic boss Neil Lennon is ready to sign Coventry’s Ireland keeper Keiren Westwood in a free transfer swoop.
Lennon wants Westwood to join his top SPL outfit in the summer but may try and tie him to a pre-contract shortly if he can sort out personal terms with the highly-rated Irish shot-stopper.
Westwood has refused to sign a new deal with the Sky Blues and is the number one choice of Lennon.
Celtic were also keen on Ireland and Manchester City keeper Shay Given on loan but that deal will be too expensive while Westwood can be signed on a free at the end of his contract.
Westwood cut his teeth at Newcastle and starred for Carlisle before establishing himself as a top keeper with Coventry - but the time is now eight for him to move on to bigger things.
Everton and a number of other Premiership clubs are also keeping an eye on Westwood
Giovanni Trapattoni's goalkeeping problems for the upcoming European Championship qualifier against Macedonia later this month continue to mount with news that Keiren Westwood failed to return for the second half as his Coventry side went down to a 4-1 home defeat to Bristol City at the Ricoh Arena.
Manchester City keeper Shay Given is already out of the crucial qualifier after undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury.
Early reports from the Ricoh Arena suggest Westwood could be out of contention for six weeks.
Ireland international goalkeeper Shay Given will find out this week if he needs to go under the surgeons knife after the Man City goalkeeper sustained a shoulder injury in training.
Man City manager Roberto Mancini revealed "He has a shoulder problem and next week he will go to the doctor in London to see if he needs surgery,"
Should The Donegal born keeper require surgery he would be certain to miss Ireland's crucial European Championship qualifier with Macedonia in Dublin next month and would a major blow to Giovanni Trapattoni's preparations for the game.
Sought after Coventry City goalkeeper Keiren Westwood would deputise in the event of a lengthy lay-off for Given.
Celtic, Wigan and Everton all showed a keen interest in the keeper during the Winter transfer window and Westwood will be a free agent in the summer.
QPR boss Neil Warnock has praised Keiren Westwood - and says the Coventry City star is a better goalkeeper than many of the Premier League shot-stoppers.
The Ireland international had a superb game as the Sky Blues lost a tight game to Warnock's side at Loftus Road yesterday.
And Warnock believes the Irish goal stopper is already better than many keepers in the top flight.
He told Talk Sport: "Westwood was excellent today. I put him head and shoulders above many keepers in the Premier League."
Westwood made his first international appearance for Ireland in a friendly against Nigeria in May 2009 as is tipped as the natural replacement for Shay Given, when his international career comes to an end.
Westwood has been the focus of recent transfer speculation with a number of Premiership clubs keeping tabs on the progress of the 26 year old.
New Coventry signing Stephen O'Halloran is over the moon to have agreed his move to the club.
The Ireland u21 international full-back will officially join the Sky Blues on a free transfer from Aston Villa on July 1 and sign a one-year contract.
He told the club's official website: "I'm delighted to get the deal done. I had a meeting with the manager earlier in the week and he was very positive. He said he saw me play last season in the reserves and that he liked what he saw which was great for me."
Cork born O'Halloran, who has fought his way back to full fitness after two years out with knee problems, added he hopes to play a big part in a promotion push at the Ricoh Arena sooner rather than later.
"This is a big opportunity for me and it helps that the manager has a very positive outlook on the club," added the 22-year-old. "He will not be settling for mediocrity and I know he is desperate to get the club where it wants to be and that is the Premier League.
"It is obviously going to be one step at a time but I'm just looking forward to helping achieve that in any way I can."
Newcastle have completed the deadline-day signing of Ireland striker Leon Best from Coventry for an undisclosed fee.
The 23-year-old has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year contract and will go straight into the squad to face Cardiff at St James' Park on Friday.
The Ireland international has been handed the number 20 shirt.
Best's contract at Coventry was due to expire in the summer and, even though a fee would have been due as he is under 24, the Sky Blues have cashed in now.
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton was keen to bring in a new striker before the close of the transfer window.
Best is expected to go straight into the Newcastle squad for this Friday's crucial game with Cardiff.
Leon Best has been dusting off his old World Cup videos as inspiration for Ireland’s final push for South Africa 2010.
The Coventry City striker’s heroes include, not surprisingly, the likes of Brazil’s Ronaldo whose majestic presence in previous competitions provided the stuff that boyhood dreams are made of.
But that dream is just two games away from becoming a reality for the Sky Blues’ centre-forward who was called up for his country for the first time in June and has been on a high ever since.
Seemingly a firm part of Irish boss Giovani Trapattoni’s plans for the future, Best is playing some of the best football of his young career at the moment, clearly having taken a huge injection of confidence from his international progress.
His most recent run-out came in a friendly against next summer’s competition host nation, South Africa, following up his first cap against Bulgaria.
“It was a great experience and a good win,” said the in-form front man who celebrated his 23rd birthday recently.
“I enjoyed it out there and it is always great to be involved with the squad. I hope to be involved in every single squad and game now. Definitely. I get such a buzz playing in the stadiums and in front of the Irish fans and with the likes of Robbie Keane and John O’Shea.
‘‘I could only dream about it before and now it is happening for me and I need to grasp every chance.
“I thought I gave a good account of myself against South Africa and I was just disappointed that I didn’t get a goal, which is always a good feeling when you go on as a sub against a good team.
‘‘The possession was all South Africa but they didn’t have a shot which goes to show how we did against them. And we can win games. I went on with Caleb Folan up front, which was easy because he is a great target man and that’s different for me because then I am not the one always flicking it. I have to spin off him which I enjoy because I get more chances.
‘‘Hopefully it will help my game because I am playing a different way, so if Coventry ever sign a Dion Dublin again I’ll be running off him rather than being the target man for a change.”
Looking ahead to next month’s crunch qualifiers, he said: “We have got a big game against Italy coming up in October, so hopefully I will be involved in that.
‘‘We have got two more and both are at home, so hopefully we can win those and get to South Africa. The other game is against Montenegro.
“It would be a great achievement getting to the World Cup because it’s the sort of thing you only ever dream of.
‘‘I have got videos at my house of past World Cups so to think that I could be involved in it would be a dream come true.
‘‘I used to watch people like Ronaldo and Romario for Brazil when I was younger so it would be amazing to go to the finals.”
For the time being, however, he wants to keep his form and fitness, and the goals coming for Coventry.
He had scored three in City’s first seven prior to yesterday’s trip to Preston – his best start to a season at the Ricoh Arena.
Enjoying his partnership with Clinton Morrison, who got his fourth of the season in Tuesday night’s gutsy 3-2 victory over Sheffield United, Best said: “We have got a good little competition going and the great thing is that we are both getting some goals at the moment.
“This is my best ever start because in previous years I have always ended up injured just before the season starts or early on in the campaign and that has set me back.
‘‘But I am feeling fit at the minute and just want to keep doing well for my club and see where that gets me with my country.”
