Eddie Howe wants to sign Bournemouth captain Steve Cook, if he is appointed as Celtic manager, a report from The Sun has claimed.

Celtic are on the hunt for a new manager following the departure of Neil Lennon earlier this season, and it has recently been reported that Howe has agreed a deal in principle to take over the role, with some terms still to be agreed.

Now it seems as though Howe is already making plans for the summer transfer window, should his appointment at Parkhead be confirmed.

According to this latest update, Cook will be a priority target for Howe this summer, when an overhaul of the current Celtic squad is expected to take place.

The pair of course previously worked together at Bournemouth for several years, as the club climbed from League One to the Premier League, only for Howe to leave following the Cherries' relegation to the Championship at the end of last season.

Cook's current contract at Bournemouth is set to expire at the end of this season, and it is thought he will leave the club if they do not win promotion back to the Premier League this season.

Bournemouth are currently seventh in the Championship table, one point adrift of the play-off places with eight games of this season remaining.

In total, Cook has made 377 appearances in all competitions for Bournemouth since joining the club from Brighton back in October 2011, scoring 21 goals in that time.

The Verdict

You can see why this would be a signing that could make sense from a Celtic perspective, if Howe's appointment is indeed confirmed.

Cook and Howe have worked together for many years previously at Bournemouth, so there is clearly a good relationship between the two, and one that could help to get the best out of both parties.

Indeed, with defence seemingly one position that Celtic do seem to need to strengthen in this summer, so it does make sense for them to pursue a deal such as this.

Add to that the fact that Cook could be available on a free with his Bournemouth contract expiring this summer, and it does seem as though this could be a useful piece of business for Celtic.