Hoops eye up Lens defender

Jul 6 2008 By Mark Guidi

CELTIC are weighing up a loan bid for Lens full-back Nadir Belhadj.

The Algerian international is on the radar of Gordon Strachan and is available after the French club's relegation.

Belhadj - who has won 25 caps - started last term with Lyon but couldn't dislodge Italian World Cup winner Fabio Grosso from the left-back slot.

The 26-year-old moved to Lens for £2.8million in January but the club want him off the wage bill after dropping down to Ligue 2.

Strachan is keen on a one-year loan deal after ditching plans to sign Timothee Atouba.

The Hamburg left-back's wage demands were too rich and Belhadj has now jumped ahead of him on Strachan's wanted list.

The Celtic boss is also considering a similar loan move for Roma left-back Vitorino Antunes.