Former Borussia Dortmund boss Lucien Favre is interested in becoming the new manager of Celtic.
The 63-year-old Swiss coach was sacked by Dortmund in December after a run of poor domestic results.
He guided the club into the knock-out stages of the Champions League after finishing top of their group. A former boss of Hertha Berlin, Borussia Monchengladbach and Nice, he was subsequently dismissed with Dortmund sitting fifth in the Bundesliga after a 5-1 thrashing to Stuttgart.
Now back in Switzerland, Favre has been heavily linked with a move to Lyon as replacement for Rudi Garcia when he leaves at the end of this season. Weekend reports in France claim, however, that Lille coach Christophe Galtier is now Lyon’s first choice.
Favre has also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen. On Monday night, his representatives failed to respond to Sportsmail’s enquiries about the Celtic vacancy. In a statement released last week, major shareholder Dermot Desmond said the club had embarked on a process of ‘research, investigation, interviewing and negotiation’ with prospective candidates.
Eddie Howe, Enzo Maresca, Roy Keane, interim boss John Kennedy, Chris Wilder and Scotland manager Steve Clarke have all been considered as replacements for Neil Lennon after RB Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch ruled himself out of the running.
With the potential for an automatic place in the Champions League for next season’s SPFL champions, former Celtic boss Martin O’Neill believes the club are right to take their time in their search for a new boss. Backing his former Republic of Ireland assistant Keane for the role, he told BBC Sportsound: ‘They may have three or four options of which they want to go down.
‘Next season is really big because it’s automatic qualification for the Champions League.
‘That’s a massive extra prize. It’s the £30 million. ‘Maybe it bolsters the argument that Celtic are taking their time - that whoever’s in there is able and capable of facing Rangers in the big contest.
‘Roy Keane’s got the personality, for a start. A massive player, iconic figure in the game. ‘He’s very strong willed. But he’s also got the capacity to motivate players. ‘Roy’s learned a great deal over the years.
‘Dermot’s a strong-willed man himself. He’ll know what is necessary.
‘There is still the possibility of the Scottish Cup and let’s see how John Kennedy performs.
‘If Celtic go and clinch the Cup he must give himself a chance to do the job.’
Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has also declared his availability if Celtic want to talk. The iconic Frenchman worked as Belgium assistant boss before taking the top job at Monaco and was most recently at MLS side Montreal Impact.
Henry told The Robbie Fowler Podcast he has been keeping an eye on Scottish football and said of the Celtic role: ‘With all humility, whatever is going to come my way - I’m not saying that should come my way. ‘Whatever is going to come my way I’m going to try to evaluate. I’m sure they’re going to work on what they’re going to work on.
‘I don’t know what’s happening there, this is a club I respect a lot, but that I don’t know about.’
