SHAUN MALONEY gave Celtic yet another Old Firm scare today when he limped out of training at Lennoxtown with an ankle injury.

Just minutes after he had been recalled to George Burley's Scotland squad for the World Cup double-header, the little striker was left in agony after attempting to challenge Aiden McGeady during a training match.

The medical team were quickly on hand and Maloney was immediately taken to the physio's room to have the damage assessed and to begin treatment.

With Scott McDonald already sidelined with a torn groin muscle and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink also missing from training as he nurses a gashed ankle which required five stitches, manager Gordon Strachan can't afford to lose any more strikers ahead of Sunday's visit of Rangers. Maloney would already have been pencilled in to start at the weekend after making an immediate impact when replacing Vennegoor half an hour into Saturday's game against Falkirk - and having a major part to play in all three Celtic goals.

He will be given every chance to recover from this injury, and Strachan is grateful for the fact there is an extra 24 hours available as the Old Firm game has been put back to Sunday to suit TV.

But, the medical team at Lennoxtown will have to check on the player again tomorrow when the full extent of his injury is known.

Meanwhile, Birmingham are being made to wait a bit longer to find out if Bobo Balde will accept their offer of a two-year deal.

After reviving negotiations yesterday, they had hoped to conclude the deal today and the Guinean was expected in the Midlands for a medical.

But Balde instead turned up at Lennoxtown where he trained on his own.

Birmingham thought they had reached agreement with the player on a two-year deal.

Celtic are prepared to waive any transfer fee for the man who still has one year left on his contract and were hopeful that the lucrative offer from Birmingham - believed to match the £28,000-per-week he currently earns - would be enough to persuade the defender to leave.

The offer is understood to still be on the table but, as is his custom, Balde is refusing to be rushed into a decision.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish wants an answer as soon as possible as he needs to move onto another target if the deal to bring in Balde can't be concluded.

And Celtic are every bit as keen to see the matter brought to a conclusion as they have plans to utilise the wages Balde's departure would release.