Celtic are considering a second double raid on Dundee United for teenager John Souttar and striker Nadir Ciftci.

The Tannadice club sparked a row with supporters when they sold star duo Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven to the Parkhead club on deadline day in January.

Jackie McNamara’s side have won just three of their 14 games since, and lost 3-0 at home to Ronny Deila’s side on Sunday.

Dundee United midfielder John Souttar (right) challenges for possession with Celtic's Kris Commons

Heavily linked with Ciftci in January, the Norwegian has also earmarked 18-year-old Souttar as potential cover for Scott Brown and Nir Bitton in a holding midfield role. The teenager has recently impressed in the middle of the pitch since switching from central defence.

Ciftci and Souttar are under contract until May next year and could go for a combined fee of £1.5million.

Admitting there is huge pressure on the Europa League contenders not to sell any more players to Celtic, however, United No 2 Simon Donnelly said: ‘I think that’s always going to be there. All the drama that was whipped up over the stuff in January wasn’t helpful to the club, but we as coaches and the manager just have to try and focus on our job here. You are always going to have interest and speculation. We’ve had to deal with it for the two years we’ve been here.’

Adding to the pressure on United was the public release of a clause in manager McNamara’s contract entitling him to a cut of any transfer profits.

Celtic are also interested in signing striker Nadir Ciftc from Dundee United

Insisting Tannadice minds are focused on securing a European slot next season, Donnelly played down talk of a move for Ciftci or anyone else, adding: ‘Nadir is a Dundee United player, so it’s our job in the next five games to go and try to reach Europe and Nadir will help us do that.’

Meanwhile, referee Steven McLean will be back in the firing line this weekend for the first time since he and his officials missed a crucial hand-ball by Caley Thistle defender Josh Meekings in Celtic’s Scottish Cup semi final defeat to Inverness at Hampden on April 19.

The duo are likely to cost Celtic around £1.5million, the second double raid on the club after signing Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven

Celtic, who had been leading 1-0 at the time, went on to lose 3-2 and subsequently wrote to the SFA demanding an explanation.

Meekings was hit with a notice of complaint by SFA compliance officer Tony McGlennan, which could have seen him miss the final, but Inverness were successful in contesting the charge.