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Celtic spread their net to sign a top striker

Serame Letsoaka, coach of Bloemfontein Celtic celebrates with Alfred Ndengane of Bloemfontein Celtic during the Absa Premiership match match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtic at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa on March 16, 2016 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix
Serame Letsoaka, coach of Bloemfontein Celtic celebrates with Alfred Ndengane of Bloemfontein Celtic during the Absa Premiership match match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtic at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa on March 16, 2016 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Bloemfontein Celtic have extended their search to beyond South Africa’s borders in their search for a striker to lead the line this coming season.

After having seen Collins Mbesuma slip from their grasp‚ the Free State club have been hard at work to find a top line attacker to compliment the speedy players that coach Serame Letsoaka has already enticed to the club.

Nigerian George Akpabio‚ previously with Ajax Cape Town‚ Vasco da Gama and Chippa United‚ returns to South Africa on trials over the weekend and Celtic will also be looking at a striker from Mali‚ whose identity they are keeping under wraps.

“We are still searching‚ we are still looking for players and the two trialists will arrive this weekend‚ or by the latest Monday‚” said the club’s chief executive officer Khumbulani Konco.

“It has been tough but we are not panicking. We know what we are looking for.”

Last season Akpabio played in the Turkish second division after being released by Chippa. He originally came to South Africa in 2011 from Plateau United and his current given age of 23 seems unrealistic.

Akpabio had one prolific season in South Africa when he helped Chippa to win promotion from the National First Division in 2014.

Celtic came close earlier this month to signing up Mbesuma but he eventually went to Highlands Park instead because of a desire to keep his family in Johannesburg and not disrupt his school-going children.

Last season’s leading goal scorer in the Premier Soccer League had been a free agent after the end of his contract with the now defunct Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Celtic let striker Lerato Lamola‚ runner-up in the goal scoring charts two seasons ago‚ left the club last month because he did not fit in with the tactical vision of coach Serame Letsoaka. Lamola is now with Lamontville Golden Arrows.

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