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DELVECCHIO: I'LL SAVE CELTIC

Delvecchio has high hopes for Celtic

Saturday June 16,2007

By Jessica Johnson for express.co.uk

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Sampdoria star Gennaro Delvecchio last night declared he'd help Celtic to take total control of Scottish football.

And the Italian midfielder reckons he could add bags of Euro aid to the Hoops' Champions League challenge, too.

But while the 29-year-old Delvecchio took a step closer towards arriving at Parkhead, West Brom's £4 million-rated Jason Koumas slammed the door on the Celts by stating he's staying in England.

Starsport revealed yesterday Serie A aces Delvecchio and Atalanta's Massimo Donati are £6 million targets for Celtic.

And one cap Delvecchio said, "If I move to Celtic this summer I would help them become bigger and stronger - and to dominate Scottish football.

"Celtic have already shown they can compete in the Champions League, but I think I could take them further down that road.

Celtic have already shown they can compete in the Champions League

"I know their run in Europe was broken by Milan, but they went back to finish as leaders in their league."

Delvecchio, who won his cap against Croatia last season and has been on the bench for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Lithuaania, France and Georgia, is still under contract at Sampdoria for another two years.

But the Genoa-based outfit could be tempted with a positive £3 million offer for their 6ft 2in central midfield man of steel.

And that's what the Celts would have to bid to stand a chance of landing 26-year-old left-winger Donati.

Milan handed Atalanta £10 million for Donati a few seasons ago, before the attacker took the route back via Parma, Torino and Messina.

Boss Gordon Strachan has already spent a Scottish record £4.5 million on Hibs' Scott Brown, but he wants strength in depth to fight off Rangers' renewed challenge for the championship and to make an even bigger impact on the Champions League.

Celtic, of course, made a breakthough into the last 16 before taking a controversial KO by AC Milan, who went on to win the Euro crown.

Welsh cap Koumas, however, is no longer on Celtic's wanted list after revealing he won't leave Tony Mowbray at West Brom.

Mogga lost out to Billy Davies' derby in the £50 million play-off for promotion to the Premiership, but Koumas wants to stay to take the baggies to the top.

Agent Peter McIntosh confirmed, "Jason certainly won't be slapping in a transfer request - and it would never happen anyway.

"Jason had his difficulties with the club in the past, but that was all forgiven last summer and since then his relationship with chairman Jeremy Peace and manager Tony Mowbray has gone from strength to strength.

"He is happy at West Brom, but he has made no secret of the fact that he wants to play in the Premier League.

"If West Brom say he is not going anywhere, he won't be going anywhere and will report back for pre-season with the rest of the squad.

"The bottom line is Jason is under contract at West Brom for two more years. So until West Brom accept a bid for Jason we will stay in the background and wait to see what happens.

"Once they have accepted a bid and given Jason Koumas permission to speak to clubs, that is where we will come in and get involved."