Thomas Gravesen was last night finalising his move to Celtic from Real Madrid after agreeing terms on a £2m transfer. The Danish international midfielder arrived at Celtic Park for talks yesterday afternoon and completed a three-hour medical at the city's Ross Hall hospital.
Subject to no last-minute hitches, the deal will go through today and the 30-year-old midfielder will become the club's third signing in the last week following the capture of Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, from PSV Eindhoven, and Lee Naylor, from Wolves.
Suggestions that the Parkhead club were also working on a deal to bring in either Hibernian midfielder Kevin Thomson, or his team-mate Scott Brown, were quashed by the Easter Road club last night. "There has been no offer whatsoever for Kevin Thomson or Scott Brown," said a club spokesman.
The signing of the former Everton midfielder, Gravesen, who was also linked with a host of Premiership sides including Newcastle United, is likely to offset the probable departure of Stilian Petrov to Aston Villa in a £7m deal.
Gravesen's arrival is a major coup for Celtic ahead of the start of their Champions League campaign against Manchester United two weeks tomorrow.
A solid, if unspectacular start to the domestic campaign has been enough to move Celtic to the top of the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. However, it has also been evident that they were not well enough equipped to sustain a challenge in the Champions League, where they will meet Benfica and FC Copenhagen along with the Old Trafford side.
The acquisitions of Vennegoor of Hesselink, who scored the winner on his debut against Hibs on Saturday, and Naylor, together with the imminent arrival of Gravesen, will bolster confidence that they will be able to hold their own, at least in the group stages of the Champions League.
Gravesen left Everton for Madrid in a £2.5m deal in January 2005, but was not part of new coach Fabio Capello's plans and expressed a desire to move on before the close of the transfer window on Thursday.
He then received permission from Morten Olsen, the Denmark coach, to hold off joining up with the national squad until he had tied up his future. The Danes play a friendly match against Portugal on Friday before they open their Euro 2008 qualifying campaign away to Iceland on September 6.
Gravesen is likely to slot into the Celtic midfield alongside Neil Lennon, where he will add some much-needed creativity and physical presence.
Tommy Burns, Celtic's first team coach, believes Gravesen has all the credentials to be a success at Parkhead.
"He has got a great pedigree," Burns said. "He played in the English Premiership and made a big impact there. He went to Real Madrid and maybe didn't make so much of an impact there because they obviously have so many top players.
"Reputation is one thing but he still has to come here and produce the goods and win things, but I don't think there is any doubt that, if Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact. It would be a fantastic signing and everyone would welcome him here.".
Gravesen finalises move to Celtic
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Gravesen finalises move to Celtic
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Real Madrid midfielder Thomas Gravesen has left Celtic Park without a contract being agreed with the Scottish champions, BBC Sport understands.
Gravesen told BBC Sport on Sunday that Celtic and four English Premiership clubs - Newcastle, Bolton, Everton and Middlesbrough - were in for him.
He was in Glasgow for talks and a medical on Tuesday.
But he left to join the Denmark international squad without a decision on his future being announced.
And a Celtic spokesman confirmed: "Talks are ongoing but there will be no press conference on Tuesday."
Gravesen left Everton for Spain in a £2.5m deal in January 2005 and has been made available for a £2m fee.
The 30-year-old hopes to have a new club before Thursday's transfer deadline and Denmark's opening match of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
If Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact
Celtic youth coach Tommy Burns
They are due to play an international friendly against Portugal on Friday before they start on the road to Euro 2008 away to Iceland on 6 September.
The Danish squad was to assemble on Sunday, but national coach Morten Olsen gave Gravesen time off to secure a new club.
Former Celtic player Tommy Burns, now head of youth development, believes Gravesen would be a great signing.
"He has got a great pedigree," Burns said.
"He played in the English Premiership and made a big impact there.
"He went to Real Madrid and maybe didn't make so much of an impact there because they obviously have so many top players.
"But I don't think there is any doubt that, if Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact."
Meanwhile, sources suggest that Newcastle's interest in Gravesen has cooled.
Gravesen told BBC Sport on Sunday that Celtic and four English Premiership clubs - Newcastle, Bolton, Everton and Middlesbrough - were in for him.
He was in Glasgow for talks and a medical on Tuesday.
But he left to join the Denmark international squad without a decision on his future being announced.
And a Celtic spokesman confirmed: "Talks are ongoing but there will be no press conference on Tuesday."
Gravesen left Everton for Spain in a £2.5m deal in January 2005 and has been made available for a £2m fee.
The 30-year-old hopes to have a new club before Thursday's transfer deadline and Denmark's opening match of the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign.
If Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact
Celtic youth coach Tommy Burns
They are due to play an international friendly against Portugal on Friday before they start on the road to Euro 2008 away to Iceland on 6 September.
The Danish squad was to assemble on Sunday, but national coach Morten Olsen gave Gravesen time off to secure a new club.
Former Celtic player Tommy Burns, now head of youth development, believes Gravesen would be a great signing.
"He has got a great pedigree," Burns said.
"He played in the English Premiership and made a big impact there.
"He went to Real Madrid and maybe didn't make so much of an impact there because they obviously have so many top players.
"But I don't think there is any doubt that, if Celtic get him to come here, he would make a huge impact."
Meanwhile, sources suggest that Newcastle's interest in Gravesen has cooled.
