By Soccernet staff
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July 21, 2010
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Neil Lennon says it is "very encouraging" that England
goalkeeper David James has expressed an interest in joining Celtic
on a free transfer this summer.
GettyImages
David James counts Liverpool and Man City amongst his
former clubs
• Live
transfer blog: July 21
James is a free agent following the expiration of his contract
at Portsmouth and his agent has approached Celtic following the
sale of their established No. 1 Artur Boruc to Fiorentina.
Lennon now hopes to sell Celtic to the 39-year-old and has
expressed a firm interest in bringing James to the club.
"We are still a long way off and it's early days in terms of
negotiation," Lennon said. "But just the fact he is interested is
very encouraging from our point of view. I want to get the best
goalkeeper I possibly can. Not only for the league and Europe but
also someone who can fill Artur's shoes - and he's one who can.
"He will come up and have a look and see if he fancies it. I'd
like to speak to him myself and see what he is thinking, but the
fact they have made the initial contact is very encouraging."
James' agent Colin Gordon told the Daily Mail: "I
contacted Celtic after what happened with Boruc and we are really
just waiting for Neil Lennon and Celtic to come back from America
to see if it's something we can progress. So there is an interest
but nothing more than that at the moment."
Portsmouth, currently in administration and preparing for life
in the Championship, have announced that they have withdrawn their
contract offer to the goalkeeper.
Pompey chief executive David Lampitt told BBC Radio
Solent: "We have done everything we possibly could. Our first
preference would have been to keep hold of him, but unfortunately
in these circumstances we can't always get over the line with these
things."