Celtic make move for Dixon

Celtic will attempt to land former Dundee and Dundee United defender Paul Dixon during the transfer window.

The Scotland internationalist is currently playing for Huddersfield Town in the English Championship. He still has 18 months of his contract remaining, but the Hoops hope they will be able to strike a deal to bring him north.

While bringing in a striker is his top priority, Neil Lennon is also looking to strengthen his defensive options. First-choice left back Emilio Izaguirre will have the extra year option in the club’s favour in his contract taken up.

But Lennon revealed: “We are trying to bring players in. I have been looking and so have Gary Parker and Johan Mjallby. We just haven’t pushed the button on anyone yet.

“But we have plenty of options now and we would hope to come out of January with a stronger squad than the one we went into it with.”

Dixon (27) impressed the Hoops boss on his repeated trips south of the border this season to watch Huddersfield striker James Vaughan.

And background checks with Peter Houston have confirmed the Scotland cap as possessing the necessary character to meet the demands of being a Celtic player.

Dixon has three caps, and made his full Scotland debut last September in a goalless draw with Serbia in the opening World Cup qualifier at Hampden.

He would provide healthy competition for Izaguirre, who has been back to his best form this season.

Lennon said: “We will absolutely take the year on Emilio. Left backs are hard to find, and we have a really good one there. He is looking really strong and healthy and is back to the kind of form he showed in his first season here when he was Player of the Year.

“His football is very good. He’s taking on full-backs and defensively he’s looking really strong. There aren’t many getting the better of him even at Champions League level.

“I’ve been pleased with the consistency he’s shown, and he’s still at a good age at 25, with his best years in front of him.

“He has a big year coming up with Honduras having qualified for the World Cup Finals. He will look forward to that. It means a lot to these guys, not just to play for their country but to be at a World Cup in Brazil.”

So impressed has Lennon been by the Honduran, that he says he would be a leading contender for his Player of the Year.

“It is a bit early yet, but he would be a shout, along with Kris Commons and Scott Brown, who have both been pretty consistent.”

The Celtic boss watched AZ’s American internationalist Aron Johannsson and former target Alfred Finbogasson play against one another in the Dutch League recently. But he has ruled out making a marquee loan signing when the transfer window re-opens.

Celtic have brought in some of their most high-profile names in January. Among their number are Roy Keane, Craig Bellamy, Robbie Keane and Freddie Ljungberg.

And with the club’s last two home games attracting crowds of under 30,000, it was speculated that the Hoops boss could be tempted into the market again to give the fans a post Champions League boost.

But he insisted: “No, it is not something I will be doing this year. I don’t want to bring any players like that in because it won’t serve any purpose going forward.

“Any player we do bring in to the club I would like to be permanent.”