John Hartson has accused Norwich City of 'taking the mick' over their stance on Adam Idah as Celtic continue their efforts to sign the striker permanently this summer. 

The Scottish champions have seen an opening bid of £4m rejected for the Irish international but are expected to return with an improved offer. 

Norwich value the striker significantly north of that, and Johannes Hoff Thorup is planning to use him despite the constant speculation that has surrounded him since his return from Scotland earlier in the summer. 

City have sold key man Gabriel Sara for a guaranteed fee of over £20m to Turkish giants Galatasaray earlier this week and are in a position to hold their nerve when it comes to interest in their players. 

Hartson, who had a brief loan spell at Carrow Road towards the end of his playing career, has slammed the Canaries for their valuation of the 23-year-old as the saga shows little sign of quieting down in the final weeks of the window. 

 "I would like another centre forward in, I don't want to get the window out the way and we've still only got Kyogo. I think they're on the lookout for one but they're dragging their heels with Idah at the minute, I don't know what's happening," the Welshman told Go Radio. 

John Hartson is a Celtic legend who had a brief loan spell at Norwich City.John Hartson is a Celtic legend who had a brief loan spell at Norwich City. (Image: James Bass/Newsquest)

"I hope the club don't think they've got enough domestically. Because they have got enough domestically but I'd like to see Brendan Rodgers bring in some quality to add to the quality they already have. In the Champions League, you need that quality.

"I'm a little bit aggrieved with Norwich because he wasn't in the team, he was on the bench. Celtic gave him a platform to make a name for himself, gave him game time which he wasn't getting a lot of at Norwich. Now he's done really well, you half expect it because clubs get as greedy as they can and try and get as much out the players as they can.

"But to be asking reportedly £6.5/7/8million, and he's only been playing regularly for six months. I know it's business but I'm a little bit aggrieved by that. I think they're taking the mick a bit."