Sunday, January 10, 2010

Celtic sign centre-half Hooiveld

Jos Hooiveld
Dutchman Hooiveld was Sweden's player of the year in 2009

Celtic have completed the signing of Dutch defender Jos Hooiveld from AIK Stockholm for a fee of about £2m.

The centre-half, Sweden's player of the year in 2009, has signed a three-and-a-half year deal as manager Tony Mowbray seeks to reshape his defence.

The 26-year-old was part of the AIK team that recently won the double in Sweden and can also play in midfield.

Hooiveld has returned to Sweden and will be officially unveiled by Celtic later in the week.

The 6ft 3in defender tour the facilities at Celtic Park and the club's Lennoxtown training complex but it wasn't his first visit to Scotland.

While on trial at Livingston in 2005, he played a bounce game against St Johnstone but failed to impress.

Hooiveld only played at AIK for a season, and prior to that was at Inter Turku in Finland and Heerenveen in his native Netherlands.

His arrival makes the departure of Gary Caldwell all the more likely. Celtic have accepted a bid from Middlesbrough for the centre-half and midfielder Barry Robson, but the pair have yet to finalise the move.

The Championship side also want Chris Killen and Willo Flood on loan.

No comments: