Hooper staying says Lennon

by Kieran O'Daly , 14 January 2012

nPower Championship side Southampton have had a second bid for striker Celtic striker Gary Hooper turned down, with Hoops boss Neil Lennon saying that former Scunthorpe man is going nowhere.


Saints manager Nigel Adkins wants to sign the player he sold to the Parkhead club for £2million in 2010 when he was in charge at Scunthorpe. However, Lennon is keen to hang on to the striker as he feels he will play a big part in his bid to recapture the league title back from Old Firm rivals Rangers.

"There has been another enquiry for Hooper this week," the Irishman said. “But the valuation of that club and our valuation is some way off.  I've no idea if Southampton will come back in. But they will get the same answer - that he's not for sale.

"Goalscorers are priceless. If you look at Gary's record in his time here, he's got a goal in every one-and-a-half games. "He was one of the leading scorers in the Championship. When I went to see him he stood out like a sore thumb.

"I think it's been good business and he's enjoying life here and enjoying his football."

 

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Team P W D L +/- PTS
1.
Man City
38
28
5
5
64
89
2.
Man Utd
38
28
5
5
56
89
3.
Arsenal
38
21
7
10
25
70
4.
Tottenham
38
20
9
9
25
69
5.
Newcastle
38
19
8
11
5
65
6.
Chelsea
38
18
10
10
19
64
7.
Everton
38
15
11
12
10
56
8.
Liverpool
38
14
10
14
7
52
9.
Fulham
38
14
10
14
-3
52
10.
West Brom
38
13
8
17
-7
47
11.
Swansea
38
12
11
15
-7
47
12.
Norwich
38
12
11
15
-14
47
13.
Sunderland
38
11
12
15
-1
45
14.
Stoke
38
11
12
15
-17
45
15.
Wigan
38
11
10
17
-20
43
16.
Aston Villa
38
7
17
14
-16
38
17.
QPR
38
10
7
21
-23
37
18.
Bolton
38
10
6
22
-31
36
19.
Blackburn
38
8
7
23
-30
31
20.
Wolverhampton
38
5
10
23
-43
25
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