Bobo Balde

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan remains confident that Bobo Balde will not leave the club before the transfer deadline.

The imposing defender has been linked with a move from Parkhead all summer and has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave on a free should a club come in for him.

A move to Marseille broke down over personal terms, although the player himself insists that the transfer could still be resurrected, but it was Premiership outfit Fulham who have become the latest side to be linked with 29-year-old.

However, Strachan revealed that Balde has informed him on every occasion that he has entered into talks with interested parties and does not believe he will move on before the window slams shut at the end of the month.

"He is obliged to write us a letter if he is in talks with anybody," Strachan stated after his side's 4-0 win over Dunfermline.

"He has done that so far so I see no reason why he would change that.

"He is a good professional and an honest man so if he was he would write us a letter."