Eddie Howe wants to bring Bournemouth's technical director Richard Hughes to Celtic, should he land the top job in Glasgow as expected.

The Hoops are on the lookout for a new boss after Neil Lennon left in February, and after a lot of speculation it seems they are now close to finalising a deal for Howe.

According to the Scottish Sun, part of the agreement will allow the former Cherries chief to bring in his own backroom staff, and they claim that Howe will return to the Vitality Stadium to bring in Hughes.

The two have a close relationship, as Howe managed Hughes towards the end of his playing career, and he then gave him a job following his retirement.

Should the move go through, Bournemouth would be entitled to compensation, although it's not clear how much.

Celtic are having a major restructure this summer, with Head of Football Operations Nicky Hammond recently leaving too, so Hughes' remit in Scotland would involve recruitment ahead of what will be a very busy window.

The verdict

This is a blow for Bournemouth, as they wouldn't want to lose someone who holds an important off-field position at the club, but the chance to join Celtic is going to be hard to resist for Hughes.

Of course, nothing is official just yet, but it seems very close, and it's important the Cherries have a plan lined up for if Hughes does depart.

Like Celtic, they are going to be set for a very busy summer, but the only focus now is on hoping Jonathan Woodgate can lead the club back to the Premier League.

Thoughts? Let us know in the comments below.