Celtic yesterday washed their hands of involvement in the speculation over the Southampton captain, Jim Magilton. Reports of Magilton's impending transfer to Parkhead caused anger and upset at the Dell, with manager David Jones claiming that a story was deliberately leaked to the Scottish media. The Northern Ireland international's contract has expired, although Jones insisted the player would like to remain at the club.

"Southampton know we had nothing to do with it and we have no problem with them," said Jock Brown, Celtic's general manager. "There are hundreds of reasons why agents may leak things to the press.

"You know it is our policy here not to comment on any possible business until it has been concluded and we won't depart from that. But what I will not say is that we are not interested in Jim Magilton or any other player.

"That's insulting to the player and his club. I wouldn't want other clubs stating publicly that they have no interest in a Celtic player. I would be asking what they were playing at."

Brown admitted that he is "still active on the acquisition front" and that his search embraces several players in every department of the team except goalkeeper.

But Wim Jansen, the head coach, has to go with what he has in tonight's finely-balanced UEFA Cup tie against Tirol Innsbruck. Trailing 2-1 from the away leg, Celtic have to do without Dutch midfielder Regi Blinker, who was signed too late to be eligible.

Unless central defender Alan Stubbs recovers from injury in time, Jansen will minimise changes in the team that beat St Johnstone 2-0 in a league match last Saturday. He would, however, like to alter the style of play of striker Darren Jackson.

"Darren does a lot of work outside the penalty area, a lot of hard running," said Jansen. "I speak to him about this, but it's hard for him to change the habits he has developed over many years. I prefer to see my forwards operate 15 to 20 metres from goal - that's where the danger is."

Jansen's strikingly honest assessment of his team's prospects of progressing - "I would say about 5050" - should help dispel the widespread assumption that Celtic will comfortably overcome a deficit which is made less severe by the goal scored by Stubbs in the first match.

"Looking back to the first half of that game, we looked down and out," said Jansen. "We were 2-0 behind, but managed to play more as a team after the break and got that goal. If we lose our concentration and run out of position as we did in Innsbruck, we won't make it."

Guardian Service

Real Madrid midfielder Clarence Seedorf will cost any prospective buyer an amazing £88 million.

Spanish clubs include huge buyout clauses in their players' contracts, designed to ward off hostile bids.

And with bitter rivals Barcelona showing their admiration for the midfield star, champions Real have massively increased the clause in his contract.

His contract with the club runs out in 2003, but Barcelona's Dutch coach Louis Van Gaal was understood to be willing to break the bank to poach him.

Seedorf, 21, has already won 23 Dutch caps and is rapidly maturing into one of the finest talents in the game. He helped Real destroy Barcelona in their Spanish Super Cup at the weekend.

His clubmate, Montenegrin Pedja Mijatovic, held the previous record for a buy-out clause at £82 million.

Barcelona have similar arrangements for their Brazilians Rivaldo and Sonny Anderson.