Glovers part ways with trio

Glovers part ways with trio

Published Jun. 5, 2013 7:15 a.m. ET

Leandro Damiao's agent has confirmed the player is ready to quit Internacional and says a move to Tottenham 'can't be ruled out'.

Tottenham have been tracking the Brazil international's progress over the past 18 months and were reportedly close to signing him in January.

Napoli and Marseille have entered the running to sign the 23-year-old in recent weeks - two clubs who could offer the striker Champions League football.

Tottenham's failure to make the top four weakens their appeal, but Damiao's agent Vinicius Prates says the player could yet move to White Hart Lane.

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"With the improvement he has been showing I think he is mature enough to leave, he is ready to play in Europe," Prates told Zero Hora.

"If it was just a matter of money, he would have left a long time ago. Leandro Damiao's dream is to play the World Cup.

"If he leaves, it will be to a big club, he is under contract until 2016 and the club gives him every condition for him to achieve that dream.

"Our idea is to always work with big clubs, all players dream of playing in the Champions League. But Tottenham are an important club in London, we can't rule them out."

The 41-year-old guided the Bhoys to the last 16 of last year's competition with a glorious run which included a famous victory over Barcelona.

However, as he starts the process of reinforcing his side to do battle on the domestic and European fronts once again, he knows there are important lessons ahead for him.

Lennon said: "You never stop learning. You could speak to Sir Alex [Ferguson] tomorrow and he would say, 'Did I learn it all? Probably not'.

"You all make mistakes - even guys who have been in the game for 20-odd years make mistakes, so you never stop learning.

"I have plenty to learn - whether I do it at Celtic or I do it elsewhere, who knows?"

Whether Lennon's future lies away from Parkhead remains a topic for debate with the former Northern Ireland international having been linked with the vacant post at Everton, where Roberto Martinez is expected to be installed.

However, while he admits the rumours are flattering, he insists he has had no offers to ply his trade elsewhere and is perfectly happy where he is.

Lennon said: "I have had no offers. It's just speculation. It's nice to be linked with these things, but you take it all with a pinch of salt. It's just rumour, speculation.

"I love what I do. The size of Celtic sometimes gets under-estimated, not by people here, but by people elsewhere.

"You saw Celtic in all it's glory last season with the Champions League run that we had and the supporters, the way they behave impeccably, not just at home but away from home as well. They turned the games into a carnival atmosphere.

"The players we have got, we have got a very good young side who have performed very, very well at a high level, and it augurs well for the future."

Lennon may yet have to fight to hang on to some of those players with Victor Wanyama and striker Gary Hooper apparently in demand.

However, the manager is determined to hang on to both men and to bolster what he already has.

Asked if Wanyama would still be a Celtic player in August, he said: "I certainly hope so.

"There's a lot of speculation surrounding Victor at the minute, but that's all it is, it's just speculation."

His answer when asked further about Hooper, was in similar vein.

He said: "Nothing, it's as you were. That's all it is, speculation. There are no offers in and one of my priorities will be to try to keep Gary at the club.

"There have been no approaches for any of our players at the minute.

"It is what it is, the speculation, but we get that a lot. It's a back-handed compliment to what we have done with the players over the last two or three years that we have got so many young prized assets in the squad now."

Lennon will look to land his own targets as quickly as possible, and is hoping last season's success in Europe will give him greater pulling power.

He said: "What we achieved last year, with it being broadcast throughout Europe, they see Celtic now as a viable club, whereas maybe a couple of years, we might have been in the doldrums in terms of European nature.

"But our strategy will always be the same, we will try to find young, talented players, develop them and eventually if the money is right, we will move them on."

Defender Richard Hinds and midfielders Dominic Blizzard and Gavin Williams will all depart Huish Park this summer after the club revealed they will not be offering deals to the trio.

Johnson told the club's official website: "I would like to wish all three players the best of luck for their careers in football in the future and thank them for their efforts for Yeovil Town during their stay at the club."

Hinds, 32, joined the Glovers after leaving Lincoln in February 2012 and made 36 starts but was often on the substitutes bench in the run in.

Former Bristol Rovers midfielder Blizzard, 29, spent two seasons with the club and scored five times in 62 appearances.

Williams' departure brings an end to his fourth spell as a Yeovil player. Having made over 100 appearances between 2002 and 2004 the Welshman returned for two loan spells during 2010 before making a permanent move the following summer.

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