Gary Hooper targets summer move to Tottenham as he plots Celtic exit

Heading south: Gary Hooper wants to join Tottenham in the summer

The 25-year-old, who was subject of five failed bids from Norwich during the January transfer window, will force a move out of Parkhead at the end of the season, and a return to his first club Tottenham is his favoured destination.

Hooper is understood to have made it clear to manager Neil Lennon that he won’t be signing a new contract at Celtic, and was reportedly promised a summer switch if he didn’t push through a transfer last month.

The ex-Scunthorpe striker duly obliged, and despite Liverpool, Newcastle and a string of Russian clubs all showing an interest Hooper has told his agent to try to negotiate a switch to Tottenham.

Gary Hooper has been Celtic’s talisman this season

Hooper, who has scored 23 goals in 35 matches this season, began his career in the youth team at White HartLane, but was never deemed good enough and had to forge a living with non-league and lower league sides Grays Athletic, Southend and Scunthorpe.

It’s thought that Celtic will command a fee of around £10million to let Hooper leave – a price Spurs balked at when they enquired about the player on transfer deadline day.

As part of the deal, former club Scunthorpe stand to pocket around £2.5million as part of a healthy sell-on clause fitted when they sold Hooper in 2010.