Celtic v Hearts Celtic Park, 7.45Celtic are on the verge of reclaiming the title, but Gordon Strachan has revealed he is already looking to improve his team for next season. Strachan's men will be crowned champions if they defeat second-placed Hearts tonight, but Celtic's manager is playing down notions of a gala occasion at Parkhead while admitting he is talking to several players about moves to Glasgow.

Kenny Miller and Gary Caldwell have already signed pre-contract deals with the champions-elect, but the futures of Roy Keane, Neil Lennon, John Hartson and Dion Dublin remain in doubt.

"We are planning, and of course we already have two players coming in," said Strachan, "but we also have a lot of players who we are engaged with, talking to them now to see if they are prepared to come to Celtic. We haven't made bids, but we've contacted clubs to see if it's worth talking to their players, if they have any available on Bosmans, and to find out who would be interested in coming here within our current budget."

Celtic need five points out of a possible 21 in their remaining fixtures to secure Strachan's first league title as a manager, but a win over Hearts would be enough to seal the championship trophy as it would hand Celtic a 20-point advantage over their closest challengers with only 18 points left to play for.

After a wretched opening to the season, which left Strachan under immediate pressure after elimination from Europe and a poor start to the domestic campaign, the 49-year-old would be forgiven a degree of self-satisfaction when the title win is eventually confirmed. Yet Strachan is adamant factors other than being able to prove to doubters he is cut out to manage a club the size of Celtic have given him more pleasure this season.

"You have to remember that I didn't answer back to those people at the start of the season," he said. "I just got on with my job so I'm not going to start answering back now."

Sources close to the Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov have distanced themselves from speculation that Berti Vogts is in the frame to replace Graham Rix.

Vogts's advisor did approach Romanov a fortnight ago, but since then Hearts have not pursued the former Scotland manager.

Hearts insist no decision will be made on Rix's successor until it is known whether they will compete in next season's Champions League.