Bobo Balde has been attracting English Premiership interest
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Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed that defender Bobo Balde will not be leaving the Parkhead club to join Newcastle United.
The Old Firm club have turned down a £5m bid from the Premiership outfit for the Hoops stalwart.
O'Neill said: "They came in but we didn't want to do anything with it at all - absolutely not.
"Bobo is an important member of this side, we want to keep him and we have knocked it back."
"There was a little bit of a discussion a couple of weeks ago but there is no
problem whatsoever," added O'Neill.
"We want him here, we have got Champions League games and a whole season ahead of us."
Balde has become a cult hero with the Celtic support and the Scottish champions would be loathe to lose him.
The 28-year-old joined Celtic from Toulouse on a four-year deal in 2001 and the Glasgow club have yet to tie him to a promised contract extension.
O'Neill also made it clear he intended to boost his own squad before the transfer deadline.
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