Celtic transfer news, rumours, targets and updatess
Celtic transfer news, rumours, targets and updates
Celtic transfer news and rumours persist with four weeks of the transfer window remaining. Having returned from their USA Tour 2024, the Hoops now turn their attention to Kilmarnock at Celtic Park on Matchday One of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign.
Goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo are so far (as of the afternoon of Wednesday, July 31) the only players Brendan Rodgers has welcomed into his Celtic side, both of who featured during the club’s recent preseason tour across the pond.
From here, we keenly await the comings and goings at Paradise as the club aims to strengthen the squad that clinched the league championship and Scottish Cup last season.
From loan players the manager might make permanent in the summer, to reinforcements in key positions and more, here’s the latest Celtic transfer news, rumours, targets and updates.
Celtic transfer news and rumours
Hugo Bueno
Age: 21
Position: Left-back
Despite Celtic being light on cover in this position (Greg Taylor is ostensibly the only out-and-out left-back in the club’s first-team pool), links to this area of the pitch have been light on the ground during this summer transfer window so far.
Spanish 21-year-old Hugo Bueno is one name that has been touted, however, with Celtic thought to be among a long list of teams tracking the full-back this summer. It’s been reported that loan talks started by Brendan Rodgers have been met with reluctance by Wolves – and it’s thought that Celtic moved to sign Bueno on loan in January but it was thrown out by chiefs at the English Premier League club.
Read more: Celtic ‘frustration’ as Bueno transfer pursuit hits roadblock
Michel-Ange Balikwisha
Age: 23
Position: Forward
The 23-year-old forward player has been linked with Celtic following an impressive season in Belgium for Royal Antwerp in 2023/24. With 10 goals and in 44 appearances, and having provided eight assists for his teammates, it’s easy to see where speculation has come from – with the young attacker having also scored in the UEFA Champions League play-offs under pressure.
Nothing concrete has surfaced as yet – not least how much Celtic might be expected to pay for Balikwisha’s services – but the 23-year-old would certainly provide Brendan Rodgers with more offensive options in wide areas.
Kasper Schmeichel
Age: 37
Position: Goalkeeper
After being heavily linked with Celtic earlier this month, Kasper Schmeichel signed a one-year deal with the club which will see him remain at Parkhead until the summer of 2025.
In a move that marks a reunion between the 37-year-old and Brendan Rodgers – the two having worked together at Leicester City – the veteran stopper most recently plied his trade at Nice and Anderlecht during the two previous seasons.
Matt O’Riley
Age: 23
Position: Midfield
Easily one of Celtic’s most interesting transfer prospects this summer, given the fact it seems likely he’ll move on while every Celtic supporter far and wide wants him to stay. With speculated suitors ranging from Inter Milan to Atletico Madrid and Southampton, and price tag rumours in the range of offensively modest to £30 million plus, who knows what the future holds for the 23-year-old midfielder.
Last season was easily O’Riley’s best at Celtic, a fact reflected by his clean sweep of trophies during the club’s own awards ceremony when he clinched Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year.
Read more: The rise and rise of Matt O’Riley by the coaches who shaped him
Viljami Sinisalo
Age: 22
Position: Goalkeeper
Signed just ahead of Kasper Schmeichel, 22-year-old Finnish keeper Sinisalo checked in at Celtic Park, signing on a five-year contract after a reported fee of around £1m was agreed with Aston Villa, before jetting straight out to meet Brendan Rodgers and his new teammates on their preseason tour of America.
Having accrued some game time across the pond, the young stopper looked confident between the sticks, and comes well-rated having spent last season on loan at Exeter City.
Read more: Scouting Report – Diving deep into Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel
Flavius Daniliuc
Age: 23
Position: Defender
In October 2018, Daniliuc was included in The Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2018’, which listed the 60 most talented footballers born in 2001. He then transferred to French Ligue 1 outfit Nice in 2019 and spent two seasons there before joining Italian outfit Salernitana in 2022. He spent the second half of last season on an option-to-buy-loan deal at Red Bull Salzburg from the Italians.
The Austrians are still weighing up the possibility of exercising the option-to-buy clause in the contract which could be as high as 5.5 million euros as he remains contracted to newly-relegated Salernitana until 2026. Read why Celtic are interested in signing Flavius Daniliuc.
Mathias Kvistgaarden
Age: 22
Position: Forward
The 22-year-old Brondby forward – first linked in 2023 during the summer transfer window – has been a target of Celtic’s for some time. Indeed, it was reported that two bids were lodged by Brendan Rodgers in August before contact was made yet again in the winter window for the player’s services. He is someone that the club admire, judging by their renewed interest in the talented player.
For an exhaustive lowdown on the sought-after striker, check out The Celtic Way’s exclusive chat with Brondby publication VilfortPark’s founder and editor Toke Theilade.
Jake Clarke-Salter
Age: 26
Position: Centre-back
Celtic are thought to have been pursuing Jake Clarke-Salter for some time behind the scenes, with the 26-year-old also on the radar of a number of other clubs.
It remains unclear at this stage what the future holds for the centre-back who’s currently under contract at English Championship side Queens Park Rangers, however Clarke-Saltar has suggested he’s quite content where is at present – delivering an honest update in the middle of May.
Adam Idah
Age: 23
Position: Forward
Adam Idah becoming a permanent fixture at Paradise is among the most obvious morsels of Celtic transfer news around at the moment. Currently on loan from EFL Championship side Norwich, the 23-year-old forward has excelled under Brendan Rodgers’ tutelage with a string of goals – including a crucial late strike against Rangers during the sides’ 3-3 draw at Ibrox in April.
Since joining the club in January Idah has impressed ex-Celtic hit man John Hartson, who reckons Celtic should sign the unphased striker, while also acknowledging the fact his price tag may have increased as a result of his fine form in Scotland.
In the final days of July, Idah was fined by Norwich for failing to join the squad on the team flight to Austria for preseason – further fuelling rumours about the forward’s potential move to Glasgow.
Paulo Bernardo
Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
Celtic signed Paulo Bernardo on a season-long loan from Benfica in September 2023, with the Parkhead side given the option to make the deal permanent if an agreement can be arrived at between both clubs.
With 33 appearances to his name over the course of the double-winning 2023/24 campaign, standout moments for the Portuguese midfielder included a stunning strike to open the scoring against Rangers in December’s 2-1 derby win; as well as his vital contribution to Adam Idah’s match winner against Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final 2024.
As of July 31, it’s understood the Portuguese midfielder has all but left Benfica and is on the cusp of signing for the Scottish champions.
Tommy Conway
Age: 21
Position: Forward
Tommy Conway comes recommended by Rotherham manager Steve Evans, the same man who alerted Celtic to the talents of Matt O’Riley when the player was under contract at MK Dons back in 2022.
The rest is history for O’Riley at Celtic – the 23-year-old having helped Celtic to a handful of trophies, including a domestic treble during the 2022/23 campaign – which makes Evans’ recommendation of Bristol City striker Conway all the more intriguing.
Described as a “gifted” forward, it was Conway’s strike who helped his side dispatch West Ham from the FA Cup in January of this year, and with 12 goals and an assist to his name across all competitions this season so far (as of May 1), it’s easy to see where the hype for this young player has come from.
Previously capped for Scotland at under-21 level, Conway now targets the Scotland national team, having been quoted saying: “Obviously, there is competition in my position but I don’t see why I can’t be challenging those boys who have been called up before.”
Charles Pickel
Age: 26
Position: Defensive Midfield
Defensive midfielder Charles Pickel appears to be attracting interest up and down the country, with a number of EFL Championship sides thought to be interested in the DR Congo international’s signature.
Celtic are among the sides rumoured to be interested too, with the 26-year-old apparently keen to swap his current employer – Serie B side Cremonese – for Brendan Rodgers’ side. EFL Championship outfits Leeds and Preston North End have been similarly linked with the player.
A product of Swiss outfit FC Basel’s youth academy, Pickel has been on the books at the likes of Grasshoppers, Portuguese side Famalicao, and French Ligue 2 side Grenoble.