THE vultures will be circling around Parkhead tonight, ready to swoop for any rich pickings which catch their eye.

Kris Commons' contract situation - the club insist they have made their pitch and the ball is in his court - makes the 31-year-old frontman an obvious target.

Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk has become accustomed to drawing a crowd of scouts.

With James Forrest back after a long lay-off and Beram Kayal also attracting interest as he approaches the end of his deal, the clash with Red Bull Salzburg will provide the perfect opportunity for suitors to check on their potential prey.

The good, and bad, news for Hoops fans is that the ineligible John Guidetti won't be on show to add to his goals tally - and value - and Celtic remain in pole position to convert his loan deal into a permanent contract.

The Swede, though, will be able to play in the knock-out rounds of the Europa League, should his team-mates get the result they need to secure qualification.

Ronny Deila also hopes his players can deliver to allow him to strengthen the squad in January's transfer window.

Guidetti is not the only Celt who will miss tonight.

Mikael Lustig is out, Mubarak Wakaso - who scored in Salzburg - has been sick since returning from international duty last week and Jason Denayer has been getting treatment for the ankle knock he got in the win over Dundee on Saturday.

With Derk Boerrigter also sidelined, the squad is being stretched ahead of tonight's game and Sunday's Scottish Cup tie against Hearts. It all underlines why Deila already has one eye on the window re-opening.

"If we win these two games we will still be in every competition at the start of next year," the Hoops boss said.

"Going through in the Europa League makes it easier to get players. We want to build a team that is progressing. We are going to add to the squad but it has to be the right players. It could be four, it could be two."

The final number of new faces will depend on who is available, who is attainable and who moves on to free up wages.

Money is already in place to sign players and renew the contract of established stars.

But the wage structure won't be shattered to suit anyone, and that includes Commons and Guidetti, whose representatives are due to open talks with Celtic's chief executive Peter Lawwell imminently.

Length of contract may be the main stumbling block for Commons, who returned to action at the weekend after seven weeks on the injured list.

But Deila does not hide his desire to retain the man who scored 32 goals last season and netted the winner against Dinamo Zagreb.

"We're trying to keep Kris but there are a lot of things in a contract," the Norwegian said. "He has his demands and we have our things that are also important.

"We have to think about what's best for us, while Kris must think about what's best for him.

"The negotiation is going through Peter but we talk all the time."

Asked if Celtic can afford to give Guidetti and Commons what they want after tying down Scott Brown on a four-year deal, Deila replied: "If we want to do it, we can do it. It's more about policy than the sums of money.

"If the demands are unbelievably high, then the club could be ruined.

"So it's not the cash that's the problem. It's if you want double what the next player is paid that is a problem. Thankfully, we have not had any problems like that so far."