The Sheffield Wednesday striker scored 82 goals in 138 games under Lennon at Celtic.
While there’s every chance Neil Lennon won’t be at Celtic next season, the interim Bhoys manager will almost certainly put plans into place in the event he’s kept on.
At the top of Lennon’s transfer wishlist – and that of any Celtic manager, in fact – is likely to be a new centre-forward, with only Odsonne Edouard making it into double figures for goals from his position this season.
And given their success together during the Ulsterman’s previous Bhoys spell, it would be some surprise if Gary Hooper, now at Sheffield Wednesday, isn’t under consideration.
Hooper scored 82 goals in 138 games under the man who brought him to Celtic Park, and continued where he left off at both Norwich City and Wednesday – who paid around £3 million to sign him in 2016 (Transfermarkt).
The past 15 months of his career have been less than memorable, however, as the 31-year-old endured two extended spells sidelined – separated by a solitary appearance for the Owls’ Under-23s.
But he finally resumed training earlier this week, and was spotted looking leaner than usual in photos shared on the Sheffield Wednesday’s social media channels.
Hooper, though, is out of contract at the end of this season. And even if he does return to both peak condition and form between now and then, his future with the Owls, whose chairman is expecting a second transfer embargo in as many summers, is extremely uncertain.
And, if Hooper is to leave Hillsborough, then a reunion with Lennon, be it at Celtic or elsewhere, may be one to bet on.
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