Celtic's Liam Miller is on the verge of signing a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United. The 22-year-old Republic of Ireland international midfielder has impressed Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson after breaking into the first team at Parkhead this season.
An announcement is to be made in the near future but the news will come as a big disappointment to Celtic boss Martin O'Neill, who was just celebrating the imminent arrival of Stephen Pearson.
The Northern Irishman had been in talks with the Cork-born player and his agent about his future. But the discussions have dragged on and that has become a concern to O'Neill with the player's current contract due to expire in the summer.
Miller has been compared to Manchester United skipper Roy Keane for his aggresive style and goals from midfield this season, and it is believed that Keane played a big role in convincing his fellow Corkonian that his future lies at Old Trafford.
The midfielder has already found the net five times this season, one of which was a stunning strike against Anderlecht in the Champions League back in November, but he was left on the bench for Saturday's Old Firm victory over Rangers.
News of Miller's departure comes 24 hours after Celtic's capture of Scotland midfielder Stephen Pearson from Motherwell, who was also out of contract in the summer, for a cut-price £350,000.
O'Neill has been cautious with Miller due to his injury record in previous seasons. But his rise to prominence continued when he was named in the Republic squad for the home friendly with Canada on November 18.
Miller first attracted the attention of Celtic when playing for his local side in Ovens, Co Cork, and moved in Scotland in 1997.
A regular in Brian Kerr's underage squads, Celtic rated him highly and sent him on loan to Danish side Aarhus in 2001 for experience. By then he was a regular in the Under-21 side which he eventually went on to captain, while he also forced his way into the Celtic first team this season and became a huge favourite with the fans.
Filed by Shane Murray
