Albion not giving up on Reid

Albion have refused to give up on signing loan star Steven Reid despite a late bid by Celtic to hijack the move.

The Old Firm giants have made an offer to the Republic of Ireland international, who visited Glasgow on Monday to discuss a possible deal.

But the 29-year-old also has an offer from Albion and Hawthorns officials are still hopeful of bringing him to the Black Country, despite media claims from north of the border that a deal at Parkhead was all but complete.

Head coach Roberto Di Matteo confirmed that Reid is among a number of players in talks with the Baggies over joining their Premier League campaign next season.

Di Matteo said: "At the moment we are talking to a lot of players and players' agents and trying to finalise a few deals.

"We can talk about many players that have been linked with us and a few haven't.

"But behind the scenes we are working and talking to a lot of people to shape the new team."

Reid, who spent almost three months at the end of last season helping the Baggies clinch promotion to the Premier League, is one of the men that the Baggies boss hopes will add top-flight experience to his young squad.

The Blackburn man, who is free to leave Ewood Park when his contract expires later this month, has been offered a contract by Baggies officials but they now face added competition from Celtic, with whom they played out a bitter compensation dispute over manager Tony Mowbray last summer.

Reid was shown around Ibrox and the Bhoys' Lennoxtown training ground on Monday, then offered a deal reportedly worth around £20,000 per week.

The Baggies could match that figure in the Premier League, as well as offering Reid a degree of familiarity and the chance to prove himself against the English elite after a string of injuries.

For their part, Celtic hope their sheer size and the possibility of Champions League Football will work in their favour.

Albion are also close to trying up a permanent deal for former loanee Gabriel Tamas from Auxerre for a fee of around £800,000.

Di Matteo said: "Technically we are not allowed to announce it, but we are signing him."