Collins confirms Ciftci bid

Celtic will continue with their quest for a new striker after making a move for Dundee United forward Nadir Ciftci.

Celtic assistant manager John Collins confirmed the club had made an approach for the Turkish forward amid reports United rejected a £900,000 offer.

The player's agent, Collins' former Celtic team-mate Pierre van Hooijdonk, has also revealed interest in the 23-year-old from Middlesbrough.

Collins said live on Sky Sports News: "He has obviously played against us many times last year, he's a big striker, he's strong, he's powerful and he's got technique as well. We like him.''

Celtic are looking for a forward following the departure of John Guidetti, who spent last season on loan from Manchester City.

Ciftci has scored 33 goals in two seasons at Tannadice but is no stranger to the Scottish Football Association disciplinary process.

The former Portsmouth player escaped a ban for an alleged kick on Celtic skipper Scott Brown last season but he faces a lengthy punishment when he returns to Hampden on July 20 over an alleged bite on Dundee midfielder Jim McAlister.

Collins added later at a media conference: "I don't want to talk about other players at other clubs, that would be disrespectful. But everyone knows we are looking for new players and we are looking at a lot of players.

"We are looking to strengthen every part of the team, but at the top of the pitch we would like to add another player in there.

"We have already got good strikers at the club but we have a lot of games and tournaments to play in.''

The United board came under fire for selling Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong to Celtic weeks before playing them in both cups but they will find it difficult to resist a further offer for a player who has declined the chance to extend his contract beyond next summer.

Collins said: "Most clubs enjoy selling players. Smaller clubs like selling players. We buy players, we sell players, every club does it.''

Collins was speaking at St Mirren Park to promote Celtic's first pre-season friendly, against Den Bosch on Wednesday night, and confirmed they would be without the injured Kris Commons against the Dutch side.

However, Collins would not rule the playmaker out of their first Champions League qualifier against Iceland, which starts on July 14.

Collins said: "Kris has been in the gym working on the bike since we came back last week.

"Unfortunately he has a small fracture in his little toe, so he has not been able to get on the grass and do the football training. Hopefully in the next couple of days he should be back on the grass training.

"I'm led to believe something fell on his toe, maybe a wardrobe door, a simple accident that can happen to anybody.

"Obviously it's disappointing he has missed a week of training but he has been in the gym so he has still got a relatively good fitness level. We will see how long it takes him to get back up to speed.

"He is a small doubt but I'm sure once he gets back on the grass he will get sharp very quick.''