CELTIC forward Anthony Stokes hopes the club “do everything they can” to prevent his strike partner Gary Hooper leaving for Saints.

The Championship leaders have already had two bids turned down for the 23-year-old Parkhead star, with one offer estimated to be as much as £4m.

And, as reported in yesterday’s Daily Echo, Saints are considering breaking their club record transfer fee with a third approach of anything up to £6m.

Celtic were remaining tight-lipped last night about whether they had received another offer, having not responded to a request for comment by the time of going to press.

However, the club have previously insisted the player is not for sale, and Hooper himself has indicated he is happy to remain with the Scottish Premier League leaders.

The resolve of the Glasgow club’s board would be seriously tested, though, if Saints table a big new offer.

But Stokes has urged them to continue to refuse any further advances.

“I can’t talk about what the club are going to do, but from a personal point of view I would like to think they will do everything they can to hold onto him and I’m sure they will,” he said.

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