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Hoops boss Neil Lennon confirms that the Canaries have bid for the prolific striker but that he will not be allowed to leave Parkhead unless a fee beyond £6 million is tabled

Neil Lennon has confirmed that Celtic have rejected an improved offer from Norwich City for Gary Hooper.

The Canaries are reported to have made a renewed bid in the region of £5 million for the striker, who has scored 71 goals in 116 appearances for the Glasgow side since joining from Scunthorpe United in 2010.

Hooper has 18 months remaining on his Parkhead contract but has been offered an extended deal, which Lennon remains confident will be signed.

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He told BBC Scotland: "We've had an improved offer, if you want to call it an improved offer, from Norwich and that's been turned down automatically.

"It's as you were - 18 months [remaining] on his contract, he's a Celtic player and I'm hoping it remains that way.

"It [the Norwich bid] wasn't much more than the original offer. It was nowhere near £6m. It was completely rejected and even if it was £6m it would be completely rejected.

"We're disappointed again that these things have come out in public and I'm not too sure where they're coming from but it's certainly not from us.

"It's as you were. He didn't like the look of the contract three months ago and nothing's changed. We feel it's a very good offer.

"It would make him in the top two or three paid players at the club. I'm sure he wants to be the highest paid but sometimes you can't always get what you want. We're very comfortable with the situation.

"Our stance on it is that, come February 1, the contract offer will be withdrawn so they've got a lot to think about it, Gary and his representatives. In between January and the summer things might [change] again if he keeps progressing the way he is but it's status quo.


"If he doesn't want to sign the contract, that's his decision. It wouldn't be my advice but that's Gary's decision or his representatives' decision and we're quite comfortable with that.

"We made this offer to Gary and his entourage in October so the contract's been sitting there ever since. Now, all of a sudden it's been rejected and it's no coincidence it's the last 10 days of the [transfer] window. I'm pretty sure Gary will be a Celtic player come February 1."