drunken_master
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G.Celtic to sign FortuneBafana Bafana midfielder Quinton Fortune has arrived at Celtic Park to discuss a move to the SPL champions.
According to the BBC Fortune was impressed with what he saw of Celtic Park during an informal meeting with Gordon Strachan.
"We don't know if they will make an offer straight away, but Quinton is keeping an open mind on things," said his agent Francis Martin.
"We have to make sure everything is right from a financial point of view and also from a football point of view, especially from the football side of things because Quinton just wants to play regularly again.
"He has been injured, so his priority is to get fit for the pre-season and play first-team football on a regular basis.
"If an offer is on the table then he will have to decide whether he wants to stay in the north-west of England or a clean break and try a new league altogether.
"I will sit down with Quinton and his wife and he will have a decision to make.
"But I can't really say whether Quinton is leaning towards Celtic or not.
"There are plusses there, but there are plusses at other clubs who are interested."
Fortune had described his visit, following a request from former United team-mate Roy Keane, as "terrific".
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VHAMBLIDINHO
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Glagow Celtic's plans to sign Quinton Fortune have been put on hold while the club assess the results of a scan on his knee.
The South Africa international was released by Manchester United this summer after failing to hold down a regular first-team place at Old Trafford following a knee injury.
Fortune, who is also being courted by Bolton and Manchester City, had a medical last Thursday evening after a day of talks at Celtic Park.
However, the 29-year-old will have to wait on his possible move to Parkhead until the Bank of Scotland Premier League champions have assessed his medical results.
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drunken_master
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Bafana Bafana midfielder Quinton Fortune has turned down a move to Scottish giants Celtic this week.
The former Manchester United player underwent a medical at Parkhead last week, but has rejected the one-year deal offered to him by the Hoops.
Fortune’s agent Francis Martin conceded that Celtic was concerned over the 29-year-old’s injury record.
He said: “I spoke to Peter Lawwell and he said, because of Quinton’s injury history, Celtic could only offer him a one-year deal. Celtic had some concerns about his scans, but it was more to do with his injury record. However, Quinton did not want to uproot his family and bring them to Scotland just for one year.
“He is the type of person who would move lock, stock and barrel to a new club, not go somewhere and stay in rented accommodation.”
Martin added that it is highly likely that Fortune would now stay in the English Premiership, with either Bolton Wanderers or Manchester City.
“So he wants to stay in the north-west and will probably sign for Manchester City or Bolton. Peter said Celtic will see how he goes in the next season,” said Martin.
“All the clubs have offered much the same and, if other interested parties had offered Quinton three or four years, then Celtic’s 12-month offer would have been a concern for us. But we understand Celtic have to be sure about a player and it is just one of those things.
“I would like to thank Celtic for the way they conducted themselves - they could not have been more accommodating.”
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drunken_master
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Manchester City will offer Quinton Fortune the two-year deal he is looking for in an attempt to entice the Bafana Bafana player.
Fortune was released by Manchester United at the end of the season and the 29-year-old had been expected to join SPL champions Celtic.
However, after the deal initially stalled while Celtic assessed the results of some previous scans on Fortune's knee, it has now collapsed altogether as the Glasgow outfit are not willing to offer the utility man any more than a one-year contract.
The development has brought City and north-west rivals Bolton back into the reckoning, both of whom would appeal to Fortune as he would not have to move his family away from their current base.
And it is understood City will act fast by pledging to give the former Atletico Madrid man the two-year safety net he is looking for.
Fortune would add valuable experience to a City squad which is light on numbers.
After releasing nine players - albeit only three who could be termed senior squad men - manager Stuart Pearce has so far been able to add only veteran front-man Paul Dickov and promising but untested goalkeeper Joe Hart to an already wafer-thin squad.
With City losing nine of their final 10 games last season, Pearce - currently working as a World Cup pundit for ITV - knows he needs to bring in more new faces before the new campaign gets under way on August 19.
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