Celtic have been told it will cost them £2 million in compensation if they want Tony Mowbray to succeed Gordon Strachan as their manager after they made a formal approach to West Bromwich Albion yesterday.

Jeremy Peace, the West Brom chairman, confirmed that there is a “non-negotiable” compensation clause in the contract that Mowbray signed 16 months ago and that he has no wish for Mowbray to leave The Hawthorns despite relegation to the Coca-Cola Championship.

Supporters gave Mowbray a standing ovation after the final home game of the season against Liverpool on the day their demotion was confirmed last month. But the 45-year-old former Hibernian manager was a cult hero in his playing days at Celtic Park and, after 2½ years in the West Midlands, may believe that he has taken West Brom as far as he can.

“After two weeks of speculation, I have finally received a call from Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell, requesting permission to speak to Tony,” Peace said. “I made it absolutely clear that Celtic’s approach was not welcome, because we have an ongoing project at Albion in which Tony is an integral part.

“We inserted a compensation fee when Tony signed a new contract 16 months ago to ensure the club would be suitably recompensed in the event of any other club seeking his services. Celtic have been made aware of the compensation figure, and if they agree to pay this, only then will I speak to Tony to get his thoughts on the situation.”

John Barnes is likely to become the next manager of Tranmere Rovers after the former England winger, 45, was told by the Jamaican Football Federation yesterday that his contract would not be renewed.

Barnes, who had an unsuccessful spell as head coach of Celtic from 1999-2000, was appointed on a seven-month deal in November and led the team to five wins and four draws. Tranmere, the Coca-Cola League One club, sacked Ronnie Moore on Friday.

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Three managers accused of taking illegal payments in transfer dealings face being named in a libel trial. Kevin Bond, the assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur, is suing the BBC over a documentary that claimed he would consider taking bungs from football agents.

Bond was assistant to Harry Redknapp at Portsmouth when the Panorama programme, Football’s Dirty Secrets, was made, but had moved to Newcastle United when it was shown in September 2006.

As part of its defence, the BBC is compiling more than 50 hours of unseen footage from the filming of the documentary. It may also reveal the identities of managers accused of taking bungs in the programme, but who were not named for legal reasons. The judge may also subpoena them to give evidence at the trial.

Newcastle dismissed Bond, who claimed in his writ that the programme had had “a devastating effect” on his career.

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John Barnes is likely to become the next manager of Tranmere Rovers after parting company with Jamaica yesterday. The 45-year-old former Celtic manager was told by the Jamaican Football Federation (JFF) that his contract would not be renewed and was replaced by Theodore Whitmore.

Barnes, who had an unsuccessful spell as head coach of Celtic from 1999-2000, was appointed on a seven-month deal in November and led the team to five wins and four draws. “I have to thank the JFF for giving me an opportunity in doing something I love,” he said. Jamaica beat Panama 3-2 in a friendly last night.