ON THE day that Celtic manager Tommy Burns bought David Hannah, the former Scotland under 21 midfielder, from Dundee United for £600,000, he revealed that Paul McStay, the club captain, would return to the first team after a four month absence.

Negotiations for Hannah, 23, were completed last night. United chairman Jim McLean has always been an unwilling seller, especially to direct competitors, but Hannah is a special case. The player was bringing a court case against United, contesting the legality of the option clause of the contract he signed for the Tannadice club as a teenager.

He is likely to make his Celtic debut in today's home match against Dunfermline. McStay's absence with an ankle injury - coinciding with that of Phil O'Donnell, who returned last week - has left Celtic seriously deficient in midfield this season.

Burns has other problems following Thursday's 2-1 victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie. Midfielder Peter Grant will miss today's game along with defender Jackie McNamara, while Alan Stubbs, Tom Boyd, Andreas Thom and Jorge Cadete are all doubtful.

Pierre van Hooydonk, a substitute at Pittodrie, is likely to replace Cadete in the front line.

Celtic's victory kept them in visual contact with Rangers, who travel to Kilmarnock today without central defender Alan McLaren. Manager Walter Smith believes it would be asking too much of the player to cram two matches into three days - Rangers beat Raith 4-0 on St Stephen's Day - so soon after his return from a long lay off.

Both Joachim Bjorklund and Gordan Petric are available as replacements against a Kilmarnock side who have won three of their last five matches, including two in a row inside the last week.