Chinese football captain Zheng Zhi seems set to sign for Scottish Premier League club Celtic, UK media reports. The move is subject to a work permit being obtained for the player with Zheng reportedly having been offered a two-year contract, worth a reported GBP10,000 per week, at Parkhead. Chinese state media says the contract has now been signed.

 

29-year-old Zheng has been a free agent since his contract expired with Charlton, after the club was relegated to English football's third tier at the end of the 2008/09 season. He joined Charlton in December 2006 from Shandong, scoring nine goals in 63 games for the Addicks.

Celtic manager Tony Mowbray tried to sign Zheng while he was manager at West Brom, who were relegated from the English Premier League at the end of last season. "Zheng Zhi is a player I have tracked for some time," Mowbray told UK media. "He is a highly-regarded player and was a thorn in our side when he played against us at West Bromwich Albion. We now need to tie up loose ends and obtain a work permit, which we hope to do before our next game." Zheng would become the third Chinese player to play in the Scottish Premier League.

 

The deal has missed UEFA's deadline for players to register for this season's group stage of the Europa League, however - although Celtic seem unconcerned. "We were always aware he wouldn't be able to play in the group stage. But it was never an issue for us and we'll be delighted to have him for our domestic games. Then he'll be available to play in Europe if we qualify from our group," said Peter Lawwell, Celtic's Chief Executive.

 

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