Celtic lose their Dutch edge

WEST HAM UNITED have made Celtic a £4 million offer for Dutch striker Pierre van Hooydonk. Negotiations are at an advanced stage and the transfer seems certain to be completed in the next few days.

The towering van Hooydonk is seen by West Ham manager Harry Redknapp as the possible answer to his problems in attack. The London club lost Portuguese striker Paolo Futre, who had to retire because of a knee injury, and, more recently, Iain Dowie has also been absent because of injury.

The Dutchman has been Celtic's top scorer since he joined the Glasgow club from NAC Breda two years ago - his second anniversary fell last Saturday - but has been at odds with the chairman, Fergus McCann, in recent months over his earnings. Tommy Burns, the Celtic manager, recently accused van Hooydonk of being unco-operative during his contractual dispute and there is little doubt that he will advise McCann that the West Ham offer should be accepted.

Apart from the messiness of the contract business, Burns feels privately that playing van Hooydonk limits him to a certain style of play. The Dutchman has recently been overshadowed by the prolific scoring of the Portuguese, Jorge Cadete, and Burns will certainly feel that taking in £4 million will be sound business. Van Hooydonk could play his final game for Celtic against Raith Rovers tonight.

Manchester United's £5 million bid for Blackburn's Henning Berg was turned down yesterday. United manager Alex Ferguson wanted the Norwegian international as cover for his injury plagued defence before tomorrow's European transfer deadline in preparation for his side's Champions' League quarter final in March. "We made an inquiry but it's finished," said Ferguson. "They said `no'."

Newcastle's state of post Kevin Keegan turmoil increased yesterday with Czech goalkeeper Pavel Srnicek asking for a move. Srnicek, who delivered his request in writing to caretakers Terry McDermott and Arthur Cox, said he had no option but to ask to go for the sake of his family after being dropped for the fifth time in his Newcastle career.