Balde blow opens door for Pressley

CELTIC's need of an experienced central defender became a matter of urgency yesterday when it was confirmed that Bobo Balde had sustained a leg fracture in Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Dundee United.

The towering Guinea defender fell awkwardly as he tried to make a clearance in the first half and was replaced by Darren O'Dea. The Parkhead club said yesterday that he looks likely to be out of football "for a number of months".
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Balde's absence, along with those of Gary Caldwell and Mark Wilson, leaves manager Gordon Strachan dangerously short of cover in defence and increases the likelihood of his pursuing his interest in the former Hearts captain, Steven Pressley, below.

Strachan held preliminary talks with Pressley soon after the player was effectively paid off by the Hearts, the consequence of his now infamous public denouncement of the manner in which Vladimir Romanov and his aides have been running the club.

The Celtic manager's interest in Pressley, 33, having been declared even before the misfortunes that have significantly reduced his resources in defence, it is virtually certain that he will intensify his effort to sign the Scotland player perhaps until the end of the season.

Caldwell has been missing since suffering a knee injury against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 18 November. He subsequently underwent an operation to "clean out" the troublesome joint and was expected to be out for two months. That would render him unavailable until around the middle of January.

Wilson also damaged a knee, in the Old Firm match at Ibrox 12 days ago, and it was confirmed later that he could be absent for up to eight weeks. Strachan currently has no experienced cover for Paul Telfer and Lee Naylor in the full-back positions, with Stephen McManus and O'Dea his only central defenders.

O'Dea seems certain to partner McManus in Saturday's Premierleague match at Motherwell. The 19-year-old has started just twice previously, against St Mirren on 20 September and against Dunfermline just under three weeks ago.

He has shown promise - he scored Celtic's first goal on Tuesday after replacing Balde - but he is largely inexperienced and Strachan will be anxious to recruit a player of Pressley's background.

The main obstacle to Celtic's signing Pressley seems likely to be Charlton Athletic. The struggling Premiership club's new manager Alan Pardew is as keen as Strachan to strengthen his defence for the looming fight to escape relegation.

With the player free to join the suitor of his choice from Monday, the day the transfer window opens, it is likely developments will gather pace over the next day or two.

Taken from the Scotsman