There are just three days left for Celtic to get any last-minute transfer activity done. It feels like an eternity since Celtic were last in a position where multiple signings were needed in such a short space of time.
Fans get so used to business being completed with plenty of time to spare under Ange Postecoglou, and deadline day deals can provide mixed results. You may get three quality players like Jota, Giorgos Giakoumakis and Cameron Carter-Vickers as Celtic did back in August 2021 or you may get Mo Bangura and Badr El Khaddouri as Celtic did in the summer of 2011.
The club finds itself in a strange position with the squad being too bloated but also in need of an injection of quality in some of the starting berths. With trusted source Stephen McGowan reporting last week that the club wanted a left-back, centre-back, winger and a striker before the window slammed shut, the club seem to be on its way to ticking off some of the positions on that list.
Left-Back
Fans have been clamouring for a new left-back with Greg Taylor’s poor run of form showing no signs of slowing down and Alexandro Bernabei’s attitude problems hampering any chance of first-team opportunities for the Argentine.
Whilst Celtic’s search for other positions has seen newspapers and media outlets linking us with some moves with substance, we haven’t seen the same results in the left-back search but there is no doubt that work will definitely be going on behind the scenes.
Social media murmurs have surrounded potential interest in English Championship side Ipswich Town’s 23-year-old left-back Leif Davis, however, there has been nothing concrete coming out on a potential move. Another potential target could be Ligue 1 side Nantes’ France under-21 international Quentin Merlin, but nothing substantial has come out on that one since the initial rumours.
Centre-Back
Brendan Rodgers confirmed himself that the club would be in the market for another centre-back with Gustaf Lagerbielke and Liam Scales the only fit options currently available at the club’s disposal.
Celtic were linked a few days ago with Southampton’s Brazilian centre-back Lyanco, however the 26-year-old seems set to join Qatari side Al Gharafa on loan until the end of the season, as reported by Fabrizio Romano. Aside from Lyanco, previously linked names are beginning to pop up with Preston North End’s Ronnie Edwards and Volendam’s Xavier Mbuyamba finding themselves being linked with Celtic again. Much like the left-back situation, this will definitely be something Celtic are working on in the background.
Winger
Celtic seem to be on the verge of completing the signing of Aris FC’s Honduran winger Luis Palma for a fee worth around £3.5million.
Fans may have been worried by the reports of paperwork potentially holding back a move for the 23-year-old. Palma, meanwhile, was most recently spotted boarding a flight to Glasgow, with the only thing between the player officially being a Celtic signing being the announcement from the club.
Celtic will be hoping Palma can hit the ground running after a positive start to the season in the domestic league as well as the European qualifiers and there would be no better way to make an impact than to get an opportunity on Sunday.
Striker
Reports arose a week ago on reported interest from Celtic in Brondby’s Danish forward Mathias Kvistgaarden. These reports were backed up by news today coming from Danish outlet B.T. that Celtic have seen an offer worth around £4million for the striker’s services rejected.
MLS Club Houston Dynamo were also interested and Celtic have indicated that they are willing to pay more than the £4million already on offer to the Danish side.
Tutto Mercato have provided some conflicting updates on the story as they report that a bid of £4.3million from Celtic has been accepted by Brondby and that a move is very close.
These rumours are definitely one to keep an eye on and the club already have quality players in Kyogo Furuhashi and Oh Hyeon-gyu at their disposal and it begs the question as to whether Celtic really need to spend more than £4million on another striker.
JAMES MCKENZIE
It’s an unanswerable question James as we have no clue what the clubs plans are.
I just hope their is work going on and we see at least four additions before the window closes.