HENRI CAMARA remains Celtic's number one strike target this summer after The Bhoys conceded Newcastle United are unlikely to part with the talismanic Alan Shearer.

Celtic are still desperate to find a replacement for Henrik Larsson after the Swede's move to Barcelona. Boss Martin O'Neill would no doubt love to have Shearer on board for their Scottish Premier League and Champions League double push.

But O'Neill knows that Shearer, given the choice, would love to see out the final year of his career at boyhood heroes Newcastle.

And the 33-year-old front-man suggested on Friday that he is willing to work hard on trying to form a good relationship with new partner Patrick Kluivert at St James' Park.

If Shearer is told he is not in manager Sir Bobby Robson's first team plans then he may consider his options in an attempt to have a major impact in his swansong season. Before eventually calling it a day, at the end of the forthcoming campaign, the former England skipper wants nothing more than to help the Magpies to their first piece of silverware in 35 years.

That is the reason why O'Neill - also keeping an eye on attacking midfielder Juninho's situation at Middlesbrough - is resigned to not being able to land Shearer. Camara would be a much easier option for Celtic, even though the Wolves forward does not come with as much pedigree as Shearer.

The Molineux star, who also caught the attention of Boro earlier in the summer, wants to quit Wolves after dropping into the Coca-Cola Championship.

And, with the lure of European football and playing at Celtic Park, Camara would jump at the chance of following in Larsson's footsteps north of the border.

Kluivert will be relived to hear Shearer is staying put after the Dutchman insisted he is relishing the prospect of playing together.

The 28-year-old arrived from Barcelona last week and Robson faces a tough task in trying to accommodate the pair in the same team. But Kluivert said: "I am looking forward to playing alongside Alan Shearer because he is the king of the box. I think Alan Shearer has proved he is a top striker still. He is a marvellous player and I want him to stay. But we have four great strikers, so it is not only Shearer and Kluivert - we also have Bellamy and Ameobi. We should not forget them."

Kluivert claims he has not been assured of his place in the Newcastle starting line-up, saying: "I will need some time to adapt, but I have already done it in other countries and am looking forward to playing my first match.

"Sir Bobby Robson has not guaranteed me a first-team place - you have to earn it."