Reliable reporter Alan Nixon believes there is a ‘strong chance’ Eddie Howe will become the next Celtic manager despite the seemingly endless hold-ups.

The Lowdown: Bournemouth holding up Howe move

Reports last week suggested that Howe has agreed to take over at Celtic Park, however, a deal is yet to be announced by the Hoops.

The 43-year-old is wanting to take some members of staff from his former employers, Bournemouth, with him to Parkhead.

The Cherries are currently involved in the Championship playoffs and their involvement is one of the reasons Howe’s move north is being delayed.

These recent developments follow news as far back as early April that a verbal agreement was in place, an agreement which has seemingly been pushed back by plenty of bumps along the road.

The Latest: Nixon’s late-night post

Nixon, who also addressed a potential announcement date, was asked by a Celtic fan on Tuesday evening if he thinks Howe will become the new Hoops boss.

He simply replied with a two-word admission:

“Strong chance”

With Nixon believing a move has a real possibility of going through, it appears as if it is a matter of when and not if the Englishman will be announced by the Bhoys.

The Verdict: A huge boost for Celtic

Dermot Desmond was the man who met Howe in London for talks at the beginning of April, so you'd expect he'd be delighted if a deal officially went through.

It’s been a long seven weeks since those talks, with the likes of Roy Keane and interim boss John Kennedy linked with the permanent role.

In our view, Howe is lightyears ahead of both Keane and Kennedy when it comes to his achievements in management, as well as experience.

He took the Cherries from League Two to an established Premier League in six seasons, managing over 500 games in his career to date.

It appears as if he may well add to that in Scotland, with Howe set to reunite with some Bournemouth staff members at Parkhead.

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