CELTIC have been given permission to approach Albion manager Tony Mowbray after the clubs agreed in principle to a £2million compensation package.

The package was announced today by Albion chairman Jeremy Peace following talks with Celtic and Mowbray.

Celtic would also pay an additional compensation figure for the services of Albion assistant manager Mark Venus and first-team coach Peter Grant.

Peace said: "We do not want to lose Tony because he has been an integral part of a long-term project at the club which the vast majority of our fans have bought into.

"But Tony expressed his desire to talk to Celtic and now that the compensation figure in his contract has been met to our satisfaction that process can take place.

"If Tony decides to join Celtic he would leave with our good wishes and we would then immediately put into action the task of appointing a new manager who can take the club forward."

Mowbray took over the Hawthorns reins in October 2006 and guided Albion to the Championship play-off final in his first season, suffering a narrow 1-0 Wembley defeat by Derby.

A dramatic summer reshuffle of the squad resulted in his new-look team winning the club's first league title in 88 years as they topped the Coca-Cola Championship and won promotion to the Barclays Premier League.

Mowbray also took his side to Wembley again in the FA Cup semi-finals, where they were unfortunate to lose 1-0 to Premier League outfit Portsmouth.

Albion also chalked up a century of goals in all competitions for a second successive campaign.

The Baggies ultimately fell just short of escaping relegation last term but Mowbray won many plaudits for his team's free-flowing football.

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