Bluebird to the Bone has reported previous interest from the Glaswegian giants in signing Earnshaw, but it is now thought that former Northern Irish international O'Neill is lining up a bid in the region of £4million in an attempt to bring the 23-year-old to a Celtic side harbouring ambitions of success on the European scene next season.

Celtic have just been crowned Scottish Champions, and only Inverness or Dunfermline stand between them and a league and cup double, but many Bhoys supporters fear that they could face a much closer battle with arch-rivals Rangers, who have also been linked with Earnshaw in the past, for the SPL title next season. This is because Swedish international Henrik Larsson is leaving Scotland for pastures new after enjoying seven successful seasons with Celtic. In that time he has led them to continual success on the domestic front and improvements in Europe, but the pressure is now on O'Neill to replace Larsson, and Earnshaw is believed to be top of his list.

With 21 First Division goals to his name, the link comes as no surprise, and Earnshaw's hat-trick against Scotland in a recent international friendly really sparked off speculation from the Scottish press about Celtic making a bid. European football is almost guaranteed each and every season at Parkhead, and after narrowly losing out in last seasons Uefa Cup Final, the ambitious Martin O'Neill is looking to bring the European Cup back to Scotland for the first time since the Hoops lifted the trophy in Lisbon in 1957.

Earnshaw has been linked to a whole host of clubs in recent seasons, and many of the rumours were nothing more than press speculation, but with the club saddled with debts in the region of £25million, many City supporters seem to have accepted the fact that the Zambian-born striker will leave the club at the end of the season. Charlton Athletic and Fulham have both been strongly linked with a move for Earnshaw, and Addicks boss Alan Curbishley has made no secret of the fact that he is tracking the form of the Welsh international closely.

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