Nigel Adkins is set to step-up Saints’ hunt for a new striker this week after again failing to land Celtic star Gary Hooper.

Parkhead boss Neil Lennon confirmed Saints had made an offer for the prolific hitman, with reports suggesting the Glasgow giants had turned down TWO bids, the second of around £4m, for the 23-year-old.

With suggestions that Saints might table a club record £6m offer, Lennon quipped he would only consider selling Hooper, who Adkins signed for £175,000 from Southend during his time at Scunthorpe, for £35m.

With another former Saints target, Lukas Jutkiewicz, moving from Coventry to Middlesbrough, Saints are considering all their options.

Watford’s Marvin Sordell has again been linked as Adkins aim to bring in another front man to join Tadanari Lee.

Speaking of Lennon’s comments regarding Hooper, Adkins said: “He’s got every right to do that.

“We will get linked with players but we want to keep it private because that’s important.

“We’ve been linked with strikers and I want to bring another striker into our club.

“Tadanari Lee, all being well, joins us next week and we’re really excited about that one.

“I’d like to think we’d have another player joining us this week and we’ll try and keep our talking quiet.

“Our endeavour is to bring another striker into the football club.

“Gary Hooper is an exceptionally good football player and with me knowing him from before that’s where the link will come from.

“If Neil has come out publicly and said a bid’s gone in I’m not going to go against what another manager has said.”

For full story and more Saints news, don't miss today's Daily Echo.