Matt O’Riley Latest: Atalanta Seem to Pull Out of Deal

Matt O’Riley Latest: Atalanta Seem to Pull Out of Deal

Atalanta’s ongoing interest in Matt O’Riley might have moved on as they shifted their focus to Udinese’s attacking midfielder, Lazar Samardzic.

Soccer Football – Scottish Premiership – Rangers v Celtic – Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain – April 7, 2024 Celtic’s Matt O’Riley celebrates scoring their second goal with Greg Taylor Action Images via Reuters/Jason Cairnduff

With as many as five bids for O’Riley already rejected by Celtic, Atalanta’s pursuit has not met Celtic’s valuation. It’s said that any Matt O’Riley offer would have to exceed the current record of £25 million for Celtic to consider accepting.

The Serie A club now appears close to securing Samardzic. This signing becomes more likely with Juventus poised to finalise a deal for Atalanta’s Teun Koopmeiners, prompting Atalanta to find a replacement swiftly. [Fabrizio Romano]

The entrance of Samardzic could effectively end Atalanta’s chase for O’Riley, as doubling down on attacking midfielders this late in the transfer window seems impractical.

Brighton have moved on and so have Southampton. Really, the only club still with one foot in the race is Atletico Madrid, finalising Conor Gallagher is taking time, and they may choose to move on, which could lead them to O’Riley, having tried to sign the player in January.

Why Celtic must sign Alvyn Sanches according to treble hero

Ramon Vega reckons Celtic can bag another midfield prodigy if they follow through with their transfer interest in Swiss midfielder Alvyn Sanches.

The 21-year-old Lausanne midfielder has been touted as a potential replacement for Danish star Matt O’Riley before the August 30 deadline. The Scottish champions have stood firm so far and are believed to be holding out for a fee north of £25 million for prize asset O’Riley.

Vega insists that if Sanches were to opt for a move to Glasgow’s east end then Celtic could well be looking at the next player to net the club between £20-25 million. Brendan Rodgers has already sent scouts to assess Sanches last season and who Lausanne value in the £4.5 million bracket.

Sanches has played over 100 first-team games for Lausanne and scored six goals in 27 appearances last season as he helped the Swiss side stave off relegation. He is rated as one of the hottest and most exciting young talents in Swiss football and is attracting interest from English Championship sides Stoke City and Coventry City. French side Nice as well as Belgian outfits Club Brugge and Anderlecht are also monitoring the player’s situation.

Vega, a treble-winner with Martin O’Neill’s men in 2001, believes that Sanches fits Celtic’s player model perfectly. The 53-year-old urged the club to purchase the talent – who has been labelled ‘technical and tenacious’ – now because the men in green and white will reap the benefits further down the line as Sanches like O’Riley would prove his worth.

Vega said: “Alvyn Sanches is a good prospect, especially for a club like Celtic. He is a great talent. I have read that Celtic are in the market for a Matt O’Riley replacement. To fill that void will be very difficult. If Celtic signed Sanches now then he could make them a lot of money in resell value in two to three years.

“If Sanches signed for Celtic now and he did well, I could see him becoming Celtic’s next £20 to £25 million-plus player just like O’Riley.  If he signs for a club like Celtic and plays the way I think he can play then within two years he would be a minimum £20 million player.

“Everybody is talking about Sanches in Switzerland. He is a player that Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers could get to work with and help him progress and develop his game. Brendan is the right type of manager for him in his career at this stage to help him improve his levels.

“He is an exciting prospect and he has played over 100 games for Lausanne and has amassed some great experience. To have played that many games in any league says a lot about your character. Celtic is a massive club and Sanches reaction to being taken out of his comfort zone both physically and mentally would be the only thing he would have to worry about. Scottish football is very physical and he would soon find that out for himself. His mindset would have to be in a good place.

“Does he have talent? Of course, he has talent. He has been described as technical and tenacious which is true as his technical ability is very high. The Swiss Federation didn’t hang about as he was born in France but they offered him an international football pathway at a very early age and he declared for Switzerland. That shows you how highly they rated him. The Swiss coaches are very good at spotting young technical talent as you can see if you have a look at the current Switzerland national team set-up.

“This is a good young player with a great future ahead of him and he suits Celtic’s player-trading model down to the ground. It is the right time for Celtic to sign a player like Sanches. Celtic’s balance sheet is cash-positive right now because of the way the club has conducted their business in recent years when it comes to buying and selling players. Sanches certainly ticks the box for Celtic to sign now and sell on for a vast profit in the future.”

The former Tottenham and Watford central defender revealed that if he was Sanches’s agent and Celtic came calling he would not hesitate to recommend a move to Scotland. The 23-times-capped Swiss stopper said: “Celtic is a great club to enhance your career, especially if you deliver. It helps you in terms of confidence levels as you develop some great habits at the club and you are part of a dressing room environment that is built on winning.

“Everybody knows about the club in terms of history and the fanbase as Celtic are such a big club. Celtic are so well run and are in such a strong position that they can attract young talented players like Sanches to the club now. If I was advising Sanches, I would tell him that Celtic is a viable proposition as they have so much to offer.

“If any young player wanted to have an unbelievable experience on their CV and develop their career then I would tell them to run to Scotland and sign for Celtic. My words would be ‘Don’t even think about it!’

“There is no better platform to make a proper name for yourself in the game as Celtic is one of the best football clubs to join at every level and they would not regret it.”

Celtic star provides transfer wink after going on holiday with Hoops target as he says ‘up to his agent’

Adam Idah has completed a permanent move to Celtic | Getty Images

Adam Idah is back at Celtic after a hugely successful loan spell last term

Celtic fans had to wait all summer – but now they have finally got their man with striker Adam Idah agreeing a permanent return to Parkhead from Norwich City.

Idah is not the finished product with just 12 goals in 100 league appearances for Norwich, but if his Hoops form over the last six months is anything to go by he could prove to be one of the most formidable strikers in the division next term.

Towards the end of last season, Idah fired in nine goals in 19 appearances for the Hoops, including a dramatic Scottish Cup final winner against Rangers. He is hoping to carry on where he left off when he faces Hibs in the League Cup and has described coming back to Glasgow as feeling like home.

“I think ever since I came up here the first time I knew how big this club was and that I wanted to play for it.“ Idah told the Scotsman.

“Being in the changing room with the boys and around the staff, it was unbelievable. It was so good for me and I’m just delighted to be here now.”

Idah was the subject of a long-running saga throughout the summer but always felt Celtic was the place he wanted to be.

“I didn’t really know what was going on myself. I kind of actually found out it was on Sky Sports that it got done. I was just in my house and my mum rang me, so yeah, I phoned my agent and said just do what you need to do. And an hour after he rang me and said it was agreed and I said ‘I know I’ve already seen it on TV!’”

“It’s a strange one. Even going back home, obviously everyone knows me back home, so it’s pretty normal for me going home. But now that I’ve been at Celtic, it’s like I’m a new man when I go home, which is pretty strange. But yeah look, it’s been fantastic. I say it all the time, the fans here have been amazing to me. The reaction I got, the welcome, has been top class. It’s time for me to repay that now.”

Idah spent some of his pre-season break on holiday with international team mate Dara O’Shea of Burnley. The centre back has been mentioned as a potential target for Celtic this summer and eagle eyed fans were quick to spot that O’Shea congratulated Idah on his move after his Instagram post.

The 23-year-old was asked about the prospect of O’Shea joining him at Parkhead and responded by saying: “It’s down to his agent that. He’s a fantastic player and he’s up there. He scored the other night, so he’s a great player.”

 

When does the transfer window close? Here is when is the SPFL transfer deadline will be for 24/25 as Celtic and Rangers eye signings

Adam Idah’s reported £9.5million move to Celtic has been the biggest transfer of the summer so far. Cr: SNS Group. | SNS Group

Here is when the Scottish Premiership transfer window will slam shut – including the final date Rangers, Celtic and rivals can sign players.

The transfer deadline for the Scottish Premiership summer transfer window is creeping up on team’s across the country , with Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and many other top-flight clubs still aiming to push through some last minute transfers before the SPFL transfer window slams shut.

Rangers’ summer rebuild under Philippe Clement has seen a huge number of incomings and outgoings at Ibrox, while in the capital, Steven Naismith’s Hearts have also been very active, bringing in a host of new players this summer. David Gray’s Hibs have been fairly busy too, introducing nine new faces to the Easter Road crowd – including £600,000 forward Kieron Bowie and Celtic loanee Kwon Hyeok-kyu.

Champions Celtic were largely quiet in the window, with the trio of Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo and Paulo Bernardo the only signings made by Brendan Rodgers in the early stages of the window. However, with the big money capture of Adam Idah now completed, Celtic have become the league’s biggest spenders.. Aberdeen could also be set for a flurry of activity as they plan to use the £6.8million windfall from the sale of Bojan Miovski to Girona.

With time still left in the window though, twists and turns are to be expected, with activity anticipated as the deadline approaches in the Scottish Premiership – but when does the summer transfer window officially slam shut?

When does the 24/25 transfer window close in the Scottish Premiership?

The Scottish Premiership transfer window officially opened on Friday 14 June 2024, the exact same day that Euro 2024 began with Germany vs Scotland.

Similar to several of Europe’s elite leagues, the Scottish Premiership transfer window officially closes on Friday, 30 August 2024 at 11pm. This is slightly earlier than the last few windows, which have shut at midnight.

Can you sign players after the transfer window is shut?

Some deals do run right up to the window closing. In this instance a ‘deal sheet’ can be submitted to the league. This means if a deal is agreed between two clubs late in the day, additional time may be given by the Scottish FA to complete and submit relevant documentation and paperwork. This can be sent to authorities to indicate the transfer agreement has been reached. This gives clubs an additional two hours to complete all remaining paperwork that would conclude the deal.

Other examples include:

League agreements: Clubs are able to agree transfer with teams from other leagues that have closed transfer windows, and then complete the deals once their own window opens

Free agents: The first exception is that of free agents. If a player is without a club and available as a free agent, clubs in Scotland are able to sign and register the player without an exception.

Emergency deals: If a team requests to sign a player on an emergency basis, special dispensation could be granted to sign player outwith the transfer window. The most obvious example of this is if a team has multiple goalkeepers injured, a team may be allowed to make an emergency loan.

Celtic now weighing up move for “highly rated” £4m O’Riley replacement

Following yet another reported bid from Atalanta, Celtic have now reportedly identified a replacement for Matt O’Riley in a deal that would cost those in Glasgow just £4m this month.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys have certainly been stubborn throughout the O’Riley saga, holding out for their valuation even as Atalanta reportedly edge closer to a deal. The Italians’ £21.5million plus £2m add-ons offer was still not enough, as Celtic stand firm on their £25m valuation, but it seems only a matter of time before Atalanta do match that valuation and welcome the Dane in a major blow for the Scottish Premiership champions.

As the midfielder edges closer to the exit door, Celtic have at least been busy on the incomings front, most recently welcoming Adam Idah on a permanent deal from Norwich City following such an impressive loan spell in the second-half of last season.

The Irishman is unlikely to be the end of the Bhoys’ business, either, given the O’Riley links and potential need for an attacking midfield replacement.

According to the Daily Mail, Celtic have now identified Alvyn Sanches as a player who could replace O’Riley this month in a deal worth just £4m. The Lausanne-Sport midfielder is still just 21 years old and may yet emerge to become a bargain buy for all involved in Scotland, capable of playing through the middle and on the wing.

If they can receive as much as £25m for O’Riley, before investing just £4m to replace their star, then Celtic could look back on this transfer window as a stroke of genius, should all go to plan.

Replacing O’Riley will be no easy task, however, and the pressure would certainly be on Sanches to hit the ground running.

“Highly rated” Sanches has shown plenty of potential

Even though he saw his campaign disrupted by injury last season, Sanches showed more than enough potential to earn the interest of Celtic. The midfielder ended the season with an impressive output, but will no doubt have to take that aspect of his game up another level entirely if Celtic want him to fill the void potentially left behind by O’Riley.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Matt O’Riley

Alvyn Sanches

Starts

37

19

Goals

18

5

Assists

13

0

Previously described as “highly rated” by The Express’ Charlie Gordon, the Swiss midfielder would particularly need to up the creative side of his game after failing to record a single league assist last season. On the goalscoring side, however, he proved his prowess with five in just 18 starts for Laussane.

For just £4m, Sanches is a player that Brendan Rodgers could help mould into a top player in Scotland, eventually replicating the quality of O’Riley in the process. It’s a method that wouldn’t be without its risks, given the importance of O’Riley’s quality, but Celtic would be saving themselves significant investment this month.

As the window comes to a close, the Bhoys will be ones to watch when it comes to both arrivals and those heading for the exit door.

18-year-old makes decision on Tottenham move amid summer transfer links

Celtic midfield sensation Daniel Kelly has turned down an opportunity to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Tottenham have been on the lookout for players who can help strengthen their squad in the short-term but they have also been planning for the long run. They have added two exceptionally talented young midfielders Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall to their squad this summer and were interested in signing Celtic youth product Daniel Kelly.

According to a report from Football Insider, the teenager has rejected the opportunity to join the North London club.

Kelly has come up the ranks at Celtic and has been a part of their B team since the summer of 2022. The 18-year-old sensation who can play different roles in the centre of the park has already featured in six matches for their first team. With his contract running out at the end of the year, Celtic were looking to offer him a new four-year deal.

Along with the new deal, the teenager wanted assurances over game time which Brendan Rodgers isn’t willing to provide. His contract situation has resulted in a lot of interest in his services. Tottenham who are led by former Celtic boss Postecoglou wanted to bring the youngster to the club. But, he has rejected the opportunity to join them.

Kelly feels the pathway to the first team at Spurs will be a difficult one for him. As a result, he has agreed to join Millwall in January. The teenager has agreed a pre-contract to join the Championship outfit at the start of next year. While there was significant interest in him from across Europe, the Celtic youth product believes a move to Millwall will help him gain regular first-team action without much trouble.

Celtic target £4m Swiss starlet as Matt O’Riley replacement…

As Celtic rejected a fifth bid for star player Matt O’Riley from Serie A outfit Atalanta, it’s been reported the Parkhead side are interested in Swiss starlet Alvyn Sanches as a potential replacement.

According to the Scottish Daily Mail, 21-year-old Sanches is on the Scottish Premiership champions’ radar, an attacking midfielder currently at FC Lausanne-Sport who sit ninth in the Swiss Super League after four games.

The sought-after Sanches is understood to have caught the eye of English Championship side Burnley, as well as Club Brugge, Nice and Anderlecht.

Should Brendan Rodgers push to secure the young player’s services in Glasgow, the Scottish Daily Mail reports it’ll cost Celtic somewhere in the region of £4.3 million.

As reported yesterday, Celtic have also been linked with Augsburg player Arne Engels with the midfielder valued at £10m – meaning a deal would be Celtic’s record fee.

Engels is primarily a central midfielder but can also be deployed on the right flank.

The 20-year-old could also be viewed as a successor to Matt O’Riley with Atalanta potentially preparing a sixth bid for Celtic’s 23-year-old.

Atalanta’s own Teun Koopmeiners is almost certainly now heading to Juventus for a reported 55 million Euros, meaning the Serie A side in theory has scope to meet Celtic’s asking price for O’Riley.

Celtic expected to make first offer to sign 26 y/o “game-winner” after Idah

After just confirming the arrival of Adam Idah from Norwich City in a deal worth £9.5m, Celtic are now reportedly expected to submit their first offer for a Scottish Premiership star.

Celtic transfer news

The Bhoys left their business late this summer, but have still managed to impress with their arrivals, nonetheless. The likes of Kasper Schmeichel, Paulo Bernardo and, most recently, Idah have all arrived. Idah felt a particularly long time coming following such an impressive loan spell in the second-half of last season.

After finally putting pen to paper, the forward told Celtic’s official website: “I think everyone knew where I wanted to be. It’s amazing for me and I’m delighted to be back. It was amazing to get all of those goals and to be in with the boys and to see these amazing fans week in, week out was unbelievable.

“I’ve never experienced anything like it and I’m just so happy to be back. I always wanted to play for Celtic and obviously last season was amazing. To come here now and be fully a part of the team and a part of this club is amazing to me.”

Hatate 2.0: Celtic lining up priority swoop for £10m-rated “revelation”

Idah may not have to wait long to be joined by another new teammate, either. According to The Scottish Sun, Dundee now expect Celtic to submit their first bid for Luke McCowan in an attempt to sign the midfielder this month.

The Scottish Premiership side have already knocked back an offer worth £750,000 for the 26-year-old, perhaps highlighting where the Bhoys should at least start with their own bid.

“Game-winner” McCowan could become a bargain O’Riley replacement

Amid serious interest from Atalanta in Matt O’Riley, Celtic could be left scrambling to replace their star man as the window approaches deadline day. And that’s where McCowan could emerge to become a surprise replacement for the Dane.

In what will likely be a bargain deal compared to the reported £20m+ that the Bhoys are demanding for O’Riley, the Dundee man has certainly proven his worth in the Scottish Premiership.

Scottish Premiership stats 23/24 (via FBref)

Luke McCowan

Matt O’Riley

Appearances

37

37

Goals

10

18

Assists

5

13

Of course, completely matching O’Riley’s output last season was an almost impossible task, but McCowan deserves great credit for his 15 goal involvements in a number that would only likely increase in a better team.

Earning plenty of praise already this season, former Hibs player Marvin Bartley said via Edinburgh News: “He’s a game-winner, isn’t he? At this minute in time, Dundee have managed to keep hold of him. As a manager you can be as structured as you want, patterns of play in training, sometimes you need players like him to pull things out the bag.

“He’s the captain and leads by example. He is not the loudest of players, not all captains have to be, not a ranter and a raver.”

“Keep him” – Norwich City urged to resist Celtic transfer interest given Jon Rowe exit talk…

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Norwich City have been urged to keep in-demand winger Abu Kamara at the club this month but his future is thought to depend on whether Jon Rowe leaves amid transfer interest in him from the Championship and abroad.

Kamara has been linked with a move away from Carrow Road with the new season already underway, after journalist Pete O’Rourke reported that Celtic had joined the race for the 21-year-old’s services, alongside Hull City.

The Tigers have also been quoted with interest in Kamara by O’Rourke after he stated that they enquired about him earlier this month and were considering a bid to bolster their attacking options.

Kamara has been with Norwich since he joined the youth academy at the age of 10 in 2013 and has worked his way up the youth teams to become a part of their senior squad for this campaign after a successful loan in League One with Portsmouth last season.

The 21-year-old seriously impressed at Fratton Park in 2023/24 as John Mousinho’s side won the League One title, registering 10 goals and 11 assists in 52 games in all competitions, and now could be on the move from Carrow Road as a result.

Norwich urged to resist Kamara advances depending on potential Rowe deal

Aside from Kamara’s possible departure, the Canaries have a few different outgoing transfer situations involving their players that are up in the air as it stands, with fellow winger Rowe the subject of reported transfer interest from Leeds United and AS Monaco, while striker Adam Idah is closing in on a return to Celtic after an apparent £9.5m bid was accepted.

Fabrizio Romano provides update on Leeds United, Jon Rowe transfer pursuit

Football League World’s Norwich fan pundit Zeke Downes believes that Kamara’s services should be retained due to the lack of quality replacements among Johannes Hoff Thorup’s ranks if Rowe leaves the club soon, but thinks he could depart if the Leeds-linked star stays at Carrow Road.

“Abu Kamara should be kept, especially because now the Rowe situation is up in the air and Adam Idah is leaving,” Zeke told FLW.

“We’ve only really got Borja Sainz, Onel Hernandez and Christian Fassnacht as wingers, and Sainz is the only one that is really a nailed-on starter there.

“We’ve got a couple of other younger players, but they aren’t ready to be having the minutes, whereas Kamara is on the cusp.

“I think he just needs to be given time, especially because last night when he scored and assisted in the cup and looked good.

“We just need to give him time and minutes rather than letting him go out on loan unless we can bring another player in of that mould if Rowe goes.

“If Rowe stays, we might be okay to let him leave on loan. We don’t want another Adam Idah situation, where he wasn’t sent out on loan and that actually was a detriment to him in the end, because he never got the experience and was just behind Pukki all the time.

“I would personally keep him, but if Rowe stays, I can see him being loaned out.”

Hoff Thorup will not want to lose Kamara

Norwich are aiming high under their new boss, and he will want to keep the majority of his top talents to give his side the best chance of a push for promotion this season.

Gabriel Sara has already departed Carrow Road for Galatasaray this summer, and Rowe would be a huge loss to their strike force if he does leave, so the Canaries cannot afford to also lose Kamara with just over two weeks of the window left.

Norwich’s depth in the final third is lacking, especially on the wing, and to let a player of Kamara’s talent go would surely be a short-sighted decision by the club, especially after he starred with a goal and an assist in their 4-3 win over Stevenage in the first round of the EFL Cup on August 13, in a performance that will undoubtedly have pushed him to the forefront of Hoff Thorup’s mind.

Abu Kamara EFL Cup first round stats vs Stevenage

Minutes played

90

Goals

1

Assists

1

Accurate passes

14/16 (88%)

Fouls drawn

4

Duels won

8

Stats via Fotmob

The 21-year-old seems like a ready-made replacement for the Canaries on the wide right, if Rowe does leave, and even if not, it would certainly not make sense for them to sell one of their best youngsters to a fellow Championship team, such as Hull, or a club where he is unlikely to be given first-team chances any sooner than at Carrow Road, like Celtic.

“Very talented” – Potential QPR advantage over Celtic in Liverpool transfer battle highlighted

QPR faces tough competition for Liverpool’s Owen Beck from Celtic and Leeds United.

Potential for Beck to start at QPR could be a deciding factor in transfer deal.

Regular playing time at QPR may sway Beck away from bigger clubs like Celtic and Leeds.

This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Queens Park Rangers look set to battle Scottish heavyweights Celtic for a talented young Liverpool full-back Owen Beck.

Reports suggest that QPR have entered the race for Beck but it seems they will have to beat off interest from the Hoops and Leeds United if they are to land their man.

With the future of current left-back Jonathan Paal still up in the air, Beck could be the answer to a squad gap at Loftus Road.

Our QPR Fan Pundit, Louis Moir, has given his thoughts on the proposed deal.

Owen Beck has potential and minutes at QPR could sway him

The Rs fan feels his club will face a tough battle against the likes of Celtic but feels there are some factors that could sway the defender towards West London.

Speaking to Football League World, Louis said: “Yeah it seems Owen Beck is a really highly-rated and if it’s true, that it’s us and Celtic looking at him, you’d fancy Celtic to win that battle.

“But, then again, if he’s not guaranteed to start for them, and he’d come to us maybe being guaranteed those first-team minutes, that could have a massive effect on the deal.

“So yeah, he looks a good player, looks a very good player. I don’t think Liverpool would probably have kept hold of him for so long if they didn’t believe in him.

“But he’s clearly got ability, he’s clearly got talent. And from what I’ve seen and read he kind of looks – and I’m obviously not going to say on par in terms of quality and level – but a similar left-back to Andy Robertson in the way he plays. I can sort of see that in the clips I’ve seen of Beck.

“He just looks a solid left-back and we’re obviously in the market for one. Obviously,, we don’t know what’s going to happen with Kenneth Paal; whether he’s going, staying, signing a new deal.

“So, yeah, I like the look of this Owen Beck. I think he’d do a job. I wouldn’t mind a loan deal and it could be one of them where it’s a view to a permanent.

“I can’t see it being a permanent deal. But yeah, I’d happily take him on loan. He looks a good player and I think he’d probably add a more defensive side to our left-back role, because obviously Kenneth Paal’s very attacking, and sometimes struggles defensively.

“So yeah, I’d be happy with him. He looks very, very talented and also he’s still young and could develop into something really good. So yeah, hopefully we get him in.”

QPR must go hard on their selling points

Clubs like Leeds are huge footballing institutions, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility that they could be back in the Premier League this time next year.

Celtic is arguably an even more attractive option based on the fact that they will be competing in the Champions League this season and lifted the top prize in Scottish football last term.

Beck’s career so far, as per Transfermarkt

Team

Apps

Goals

Assists

Liverpool U21

54

2

11

Dundee FC

28

2

4

Liverpool U18

15

0

0

Bolton Wanderers

9

0

0

Liverpool UEFA U19

6

0

1

Liverpool

3

0

0

However, as Louis identifies, QPR may be able to offer Beck something that the other clubs can’t, and that is regular football.

Having spent many years in Liverpool’s academy system and on the periphery of their squad, now is the time for Beck to solidify his senior status. He turned out 25 times for Dundee FC last season, contributing two goals and four assists, and will not want to drop back to being a reserve player again.

QPR are the most likely to be able to offer him those minutes, especially in light of Paal’s situation, so they must put this at the forefront of their offer to Beck if they want to stand any chance of landing his signature.

It will be a tough battle, but the Rs have a solid case for being Beck’s best landing spot for the season ahead.

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

Celtic reject fifth Atalanta bid for O’Riley’ – gossip

Celtic have rejected a fifth bid of £21.5m, plus add-ons, from Atalanta for 23-year-old midfielder Matt O’Riley. (Sky Sports), external

Atalanta have asked for information on Udinese 22-year-old Lazar Samardzic as they look at alternative offensive midfield options to Celtic’s Matt O’Riley and will follow up with contacts once an official bid worth nearly £50m is received from Juventus for Teun Koopmeiners. (Fabrizio Romano on X), external

Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels has told friends he wants to join Celtic, with the Scottish champions having opened preliminary talks over a deal for the 20-year-old. (Football Insider), external

Celtic will have to sell Matt O’Riley first if they are to buy Arne Engels, with a £10m price tag being touted, but Augsburg would be less likely to part with the 20-year-old if fellow midfielder Ruben Vargas gets his wish to leave before the end of the transfer window. (Football Scotland), external

Striker Adam Idah’s return to Celtic on Thursday from Norwich City after last season’s loan will cost the Scottish champions £9.5m. (Sky Sports), external

Aberdeen could bank up to £9m following Thursday’s sale of striker Bojan Miovski to Spanish La Liga club Girona. (Press & Journal), external

Friday’s English & European transfer rumours

Oxford United, Stoke City and Swansea City have joined clubs from across Europe interested in signing 20-year-old Scotland Under-21 right-back Max Johnston on loan from Sturm Graz. (Football Insider), external

Rabbi Matondo is wanted by Leeds United as the 23-year-old winger prepares for an exit from Rangers this summer. (Football Scotland), external

Rangers could turn to Brandon Williams, the 23-year-old left-back freed by Manchester United, amid growing fears that Ridvan Yilmaz has suffered a long-term injury after the Turkey international had to postpone a scan on his damaged thigh because of the extent of the swelling. (Daily Record), external

Hibernian have made a third bid of £750,000 for Dundee captain Luke McCowan, with Celtic closely monitoring the situation but yet to make an official approach for the 26-year-old valued at around £1m by his club. (Anthony Joseph on X), external

Hibernian head coach David Gray will look to sign another striker after Dylan Vente headed back to the Netherlands to join Zwolle on loan. (Edinburgh Evening News), external

Kieran Tierney, who is still out of the manager’s first team plans after his loan to Real Sociedad, has been spotted for the first time at Arsenal this season after the 27-year-old Scotland defender took part in the club’s annual media day. (Football Scotland), external

Jonny Hayes, the 37-year-old wing-back who became a coach with Celtic’s B team after leaving Aberdeen and retiring from professional football, has turned out for Bishopbriggs-based St Mungo amateurs in the Caledonian League. (Glasgow Times), external

Daniel Kelly rejects ‘lucrative’ Celtic offer to join Millwall – sources

Celtic midfielder Daniel Kelly has rejected a “lucrative” Celtic contract offer to join Millwall, sources have told Football Insider.

The 18-year-old is heading south of the border after opting not to extend with the Glasgow giants, where his current deal was due to expire on 31st December.

Kelly has been free to speak to clubs outside Scotland this summer, and Millwall boss Neil Harris confirmed that the midfielder has agreed a deal to join the English Championship club on 1st January.

Kelly has signed a pre-contract with the Londoners that will be converted into a long-term contract in the new year.

The midfielder will then be able to join Millwall for the second half of the season, bolstering Harris’ options.

Kelly has reportedly been frozen out of Brendan Rodgers’ first-team squad and will play in the Lowland League with the B team until his deal expires.

Celtic will lose out on a promising player in Daniel Kelly

Kelly has already showcased his quality this season in the Lowland League, scoring two goals and providing one assist in the opening four matches.

The promising teenager has made six appearances for Celtic’s first team and did notch one goal.

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His versatility will be a blow to Rodgers, as he can play defensively and in a more attacking midfield role.

Another player Celtic could lose in this transfer window is Matt O’Riley, who has been heavily in demand.

Arne Engels tells friends he wants to join Celtic as talks open – sources

Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels has told friends he wants to join Celtic this summer, sources have revealed to Football Insider.

The Hoops have opened preliminary talks over a deal for the 20-year-old and are now preparing to formalise their interest.

Celtic are in the market to sign a replacement for Matt O’Riley, who is expected to leave the club before the transfer window closes on 30 August.

Football Insider revealed that Celtic are willing to accept offers of £25million for O’Riley, and have come to terms with the fact they will likely lose him this month.

French outfit Rennes are also keen on making a move for Engels, but it is understood he would prefer a move to Celtic to play in the Champions League.

Celtic want to land Arne Engels deal as Matt O’Riley exit draws closer

Engels made the move to Augsburg from Belgium’s Club NXT – Club Brugge’s reserve side – in January 2023 for a fee below £100,000, and his value has rocketed in a year and a half in Germany.

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The midfielder has established himself as a key player for Augsburg and one of the brightest talents in the Bundesliga since making the switch.

Last season, he made 33 appearances across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing five assists from midfield as he helped his club to an 11th-placed finish.

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Belgium boss Domenico Tedesco invited Engels to train with the senior international side during their Euro 2024 preparations in a display of how highly he is regarded.

Aged just 20, he has also shown versatility in his game by filling in at both right-back and right-midfield, which is seen as a valuable asset for Brendan Rodgers’ side.

O’Riley, meanwhile, has attracted interest from some of Europe’s top sides, including Europa League winners Atalanta, and is expected to depart Parkhead this month.

Celtic’s player of the season last time out, the Denmark international scored 19 goals and provided 18 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions.

As a result, he will prove tough to replace in Rodgers’ lineup, but the recruitment team at Celtic believe Engels will develop into an equally impactful player.

In other news, Millwall are in talks with Celtic to fast-track Daniel Kelly’s exit.

Celtic eye second Norwich City swoop as Portsmouth transfer stance made clear

Abu Kamara is attracting interest from a Champions League club. (Picture: Jason Brown/ProSportsImages | Jason Brown/ProSportsImages

Celtic are reportedly interested in signing former Pompey forward Abu Kamara.

The Scottish Premiership side who will compete in the UEFA Champions League this season completed the £8.5m signing of Adam Idah this week following a successful loan spell, and are now looking at his Canaries teammate Kamara. Pete O’Rourke, a reporter for Football Insider said in a Twitter post on Monday evening that the Glasgow giants are monitoring a move for the 21-year-old.

Over the course of the year, Kamara has been linked with several clubs in England such as Southampton, Leicester, Stoke, Brentford, and most recently Hull, and now a move north of the border has been spoken about. Despite all the transfer speculation, Kamara is in the first-team picture at Carrow Road, and with the potential sale of Jonathan Rowe, he could be ready to take a better playing opportunity in Norfolk.

His 11 assists and 10 goals in League One last term has seen him return to Norwich with a spring in his step and he has worked his way in to Johannes Hoff Thorup’s plans. Kamara came on as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Oxford United on Saturday, and then on Tuesday he was influential as his goal and assist helped the Canaries to a 4-3 win over Stevenage.

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Kamara was a popular figure during his time on the South Coast, but a return is extremely unlikely. Earlier this week, John Mousinho consigned himself to Kamara remaining at Carrow Road following his breakthrough.

Speaking to The News on Monday, Mousinho said: ‘It (a Kamara deal) is nowhere at the minute. He’s part of Norwich’s squad and played at the weekend.

‘As far as I know Norwich have no intention to sell or move Abu on. So that’s where we are with that one.

‘I don’t think it’s one we are going to be able to pursue, unfortunately.

‘Yes (if the situation was to change they’d been keen to do a deal), everyone knows our admiration for Abu at this football club.’

Could Hibs bring in a new striker after Dylan Vente’s exit?

David Gray oversees training (Image: Ross Parker/SNS Group)

Head coach David Gray spoke to the media ahead of Hibs‘ trip to face Celtic in the Premier Sports Cup last 16 on Sunday. Here’s everything he had to say…

How much of last Sunday can you put down to Celtic being really good, and how much is stuff you can fix?

“I think Celtic were very good and there’s no getting away from that, but there’s things that we can do to improve, 100%. The first goal, for example, giving yourself a mountain to climb right away. Losing a goal in the manner we did, three minutes into the game, gives them a massive lift, gives them a foothold in the game and makes it a really difficult afternoon.

“The areas in which we can improve we’ve already identified, I think I said it straight after the game, sometimes when you speak after the game you then reflect and think, ‘Well, did I get that right, was I maybe a wee bit critical there?’  I think, when I look at it back, I still believe we can be miles braver on the ball. We didn’t carry enough of a threat and I showed that to the boys, and demonstrated areas in which we can be better.

“And we need to be better, because if we’re not better the same result will happen again. We need to improve. As I said, everyone’s fully aware of that and we’ve worked on that this week.”

Being braver on the ball, how much can you coach that, and how much comes from within players themselves?

“It’s definitely both. You need to feel it. I think that then comes back to the same thing I mentioned earlier with playing Celtic back to back, that the players have now been in that environment. Then when we watch back over the game, individually and as a group, we can demonstrate within situations – ‘What’s our options? Could you have played in that situation?’ I think everybody knows we didn’t do that, and that’s an area that we know we need to be better because Celtic are very good at keeping the ball off you, which we’ve seen at the weekend. But at the same time if you keep giving them it back it becomes a long afternoon, so we need to be braver.

“We’ve demonstrated that against Celtic before, that we can do it, it’s just about being brave and making sure you’re in the right position to be able to do it. Making the right decisions at the time, that’s always the biggest challenge.”

Bringing in Kwon, what qualities of his do you like?

“His quality on the ball; I’ve seen that day one in training as well, he’s really comfortable with both feet, handles the ball really well. And his athleticism, his ability to get around the pitch, his size; he’s aggressive with the way he presses and he’s got really good pedigree, he played at a really good level. So he definitely adds quality to an area that I think we needed to do.  He’s good in tight spaces which is the reason why Celtic have probably signed him. And, as I say, I’m delighted to be able to bring him in because he’s someone who definitely adds all that to us.”

You must feel as though you’re getting a baptism of fire, facing Celtic back-to-back?

“Yeah, listen, it’s not ideal. It comes back to us in the group stages: if you go and win the group, you get seeded. I’m not shying away from that at all, but I’ve said it already – to go and win a cup you need to try and beat the best and it’s an opportunity to do that in the cup game.

“In terms of the league, it’s been a tough start, but you need to play every team at least three or four times a season. so there are no easy games in this league. St Mirren away, first game of the season, and for 45 minutes, I thought we were very good, then the second 45 minutes we were really poor and we lost the game. So we can’t go into any game thinking there’s a right to win, or any game is easier than any other. In this league, everybody can beat everyone on their day and we need to be at 100% to make sure we can do that.”

You were saying that you might have to take a bit of short-term pain for long-term gain,  do you hope that people understand that? 

“One thing I wouldn’t want it to be is an excuse, definitely not. At this moment in time, yes; players are getting up to speed, players are only just in the building, there are new fresh ideas, all these things. But there’s still a good group of players here that need to step up to the level. There is competition now which will help push people on, I’ve already seen that on the training pitch and it’s about that then coming out in the games.

“People will talk about how we’ve got Celtic back to back and how difficult it can be and, of course, it is the biggest test you’ll face, going and playing Celtic away from home. But it’s something I touched on even before the game at the weekend, that you should enjoy the challenge of going and testing yourself,  then understanding what it felt like at the weekend, where we let ourselves down, and how we can be better.”

Speaking of brave, the first thing Kieron Bowie did when he came on was knock over Cameron Carter-Vickers. It’s a different kind of brave, but is that kind of gallusness something you’d like to bottle for all the players?

“100%. Kieron really enjoys the physical side, which is a massive part of the game in Scotland. It’s why he was very attractive to us with the qualities he’s got,  and like you’ve touched on there, there are very much two different types of bravery.

“There’s the bravery to go and put your foot in – I think you need to always respect your opponent, but you should never fear them. You should go and test yourself against them, and if you’re too passive – which we definitely were – it becomes easier for the opposition.

“We definitely need to be more aggressive, we need to be more on the front foot and make sure we put pressure on players rather than standing off too much. And then there’s the other side of bravery, when your team-mate is in possession of the ball.

“If he makes a good decision to take a touch, you need to be brave enough then to get in a position to help him rather than shying away from it. It doesn’t just come from the person directly on the ball, it comes from everybody involved to make sure they’re helping their team-mates, getting on the ball, and keeping it off Celtic.”

How far away are Junior Hoilett and Nicky Cadden from full fitness?

“Junior’s further behind just because of his injury, so he’s recovering from an injury rather than Nicky, who’s just recovering from being unattached. He’s done loads of work himself but it’s very different to when you actually come in and train with a group. He’s gone from doing individual running and things like that to group sessions  – reacting, twisting and turning, and all the situations that you can’t really re-enact.

“I think that’s something that I definitely felt as a player when I was coming back from injuries – which seemed like every other week! – that you can do as much running as you want individually, but to actually re-enact the pressures and situations of the game is so different to doing set things.

“Knowing that you have to run up to a line and turn, for example, compared to someone making you do things in-game. That’s the bit that’s missing for him at the moment, but as I say he’s had another full week’s training and he’ll definitely come into the plans at the weekend.”

With Dylan Vente having gone back to the Netherlands, were you with the club in facilitating that, or did you try to convince him to stay? How does it work?

“He was very frustrated in terms of not taking chances because he’s got a high standard of performance in training, he’s very good. He’s very good in front of goal, and the biggest thing was the fact that the chances he missed in pre-season came from him being in the right areas.

“I don’t believe he got as many opportunities throughout the whole of last season really, so these are all the things coaches look at; how could we try and make him better, how could we get him into these positions, get him the service, get him more touches in the box, try to get the best qualities out of him and the other strikers round about him.”

Are you considering bringing in someone else? 

“It’s definitely something we’d need to look towards, 100%. You need that competition for places. At the same time, though, it’s not as straightforward as just going and signing a centre-forward. You’ve already seen it can be very difficult to bring the right people in. I keep going back to it –  it’s about the right type of people we bring in, you just don’t go and sign a striker. The person you bring has to be able to affect the group in a positive way, and anyone coming in needs to be at least at [Dylan’s] level or else you’d put yourself in a weakened situation.”

And managers do say finding a striker is the hardest piece of the jigsaw…

“Yeah, well, obviously they’re very high in demand. Scoring goals is a big part of the game. They’re hard to find and that’s why they get paid more money than most people, nine times out of ten.

“The work’s going on all the time; we’re constantly looking to try to improve the squad and we’ll continue to do that because whilst the window’s open you need to be proactive all the time. The situation can change; our ideal situation might not be where things are right now but in a week’s time it can look completely different.

“I think we’ve already demonstrated that in the last ten days with the players we’ve brought to the club, and we’ve demonstrated it quite quickly with bringing in the two centre-backs and the goalkeeper earlier in the window. Every team and every club around the country, and in England, are all doing the exact same thing and I’m sure as the window stays open it’ll start to move again.”

5 Celtic transfer headlines as Luke McCowan awaits opening bid, Arne Engels roadblocks and Renato Tapia finds club

Brendan Rodgers has his hands full this transfer window

Luke McCowan is wanted by Celtic

Celtic have their hands full for the remainder of the transfer window with a number of positions still needing filled.

Brendan Rodgers has always wanted quality over quantity but it’s both elements needed at Parkhead with Champions League football to come and the necessity to retain the Premiership crown and attempt the Treble once again. They might have to do all that without Matt O’Riley who is believed to be getting closer to a move to Atalanta as the Serie A club continue to push for the Dane.

Celts are holding strong for their £25million guaranteed asking price but the feeling is that will eventually be met which leaves the champions with a glaring hole in that position.

One man who could fill that void is Augsburg’s Arne Engels who has been the subject of talks between clubs. Football Scotland told you the O’Riley sale would have to happen before Engels, 20, could be properly pursued while the Bundesliga club also have Ruben Vargas seeking a summer exit and that leaves them looking to avoid losing two stars in the same position.

Luke McCowan at Dundee has emerged as a target for the Hoops but Football Scotland understands no bid has yet to be tabled by Rodgers and co. with just Hibs thus far having multiple offers knocked back.

Former Celta Vigo defender Renato Tapia was named via social media as a possible target for Celtic but the Peruvian midfielder was confirmed as a Leganés player earlier today.

Ben Doak has multiple clubs sniffing around after Liverpool put him on their loan list and he could remain in the Premier League. Clubs abroad are also keen.

There has been no decision yet made by Owen Beck or his team amid interest from QPR and Celtic.

Atalanta identify O’Riley transfer alternative as Celtic talks drag on

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers with Matt O’Riley (Image: SNS)

As Teun Koopmeiners closes in on a transfer to Juventus, Atalanta are racing to find a centre-midfielder replacement.

The Serie A club are currently waiting for Celtic’s next stance on Matt O’Riley’s future while also considering Udinese’s Lazar Samardzic as an alternative option.

Koopmeiners’ move is expected to be finalised this week for around €59million, prompting Atalanta to act quickly.

They have made five bids for O’Riley, the latest being £21.5m. Celtic have rejected every single one of them, however according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the Scottish Premiership giants have now lowered their asking price to around £25m, bringing the two clubs closer to a deal.

The report claims Atalanta chiefs are hesitant to increase their offer and are exploring other avenues, including Samardzic, who was previously linked to AC Milan, until the “exhausting” saga is complete.

With the transfer window closing in just over two weeks’ time, Atalanta aims to strengthen their midfield for the upcoming season in the Italian top-flight.

Celtic have their own man in mind should O’Riley depart Parkhead, and there’s talk that the Augsburg star has already informed his friends that he wants the transfer to happen.

Arne Engels is the name, and the 20-year-old midfielder is already attracting interest from Ligue 1 outfit Rennes.

Although, it’s thought that he would prefer to choose Celtic due to the opportunity to play Champions League football under Brendan Rodgers.

Last season Engles made 33 appearances, scoring three goals and providing five assists.

EXCLUSIVECeltic consider move for Swiss star Sanches as potential midfield replacement for outgoing O’Riley

Celtic have identified Lausanne’s Alvyn Sanches as a candidate to replace coveted midfielder Matt O’Riley.

Europa League holders Atalanta had their latest bid for the Danish international kicked out last night, an offer of £21.5million plus £2m add-ons rejected.

Celtic are holding out for a deal which shatters their previous record sales of £25million for Kieran Tierney and Jota, to Arsenal and Al-Ittihad, respectively.

And manager Brendan Rodgers insists the Scottish champions won’t give the time of day to any bids until their valuation of 23-year-old O’Riley is met.

Serie A side Atalanta, beaten 2-0 by Real Madrid in the European Super Cup Final on Tuesday night, view O’Riley as the ideal replacement for Juventus-bound Teun Koopmeiners, whose move to Turin hinges on the Bergamo-based club securing a midfielder of their own.

Swiss Under-21 star Alvyn Sanches has been identified as a midfield replacement for O’Riley

O’Riley remains a Celtic player for now after Atalanta’s latest bid was kicked out by the club

Celtic have been keeping tabs on Dundee forward Luke McCowan, with Hibs also keen

Real Madrid vs Atalanta – UEFA Super Cup RECAP: All the reaction

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Atalanta are also looking at Udinese’s Lazar Samardzic.

O’Riley remains relaxed over his future. Should he leave before the close of the window, Celtic will move to replace him from a list of potential replacements.

Competition for £4.3m-rated Swiss under-21 international Sanches stems from Nice, Club Bruges, Anderlecht and Burnley. Keen to take the next step in his career, the 21-year-old is expected to leave Switzerland before the close of the window.

Celtic have also been linked with £10m-rated Belgian wonderkid Arne Engels.

A late contender for Belgium’s Euro 2024 squad, the 20-year-old has impressed with Bundesliga side Augsburg.

As Mail Sport reported last week, the Parkhead side have also compiled reports on Dundee forward Luke McCowan, but have yet to firm up any interest with Hibs having already tested the Dens Park club’s resolve to keep the 26-year-old.

With just two weeks of Celtic’s transfer window remaining, the club are juggling multiple incoming and outgoing deals.

The signature of Adam Idah has added a much-needed boost to Brendan Rodgers’ attacking firepower but there are plenty of other priorities in the squad.

One of those is sourcing a replacement for Matt O’Riley if the midfielder leaves the club this summer.

Last season’s standout is being pursued by multiple teams in England and across Europe, with the potential of a sizable bid beyond £25m that tempts Celtic to sell.

To that end, Celtic are looking at Augsburg talent Arne Engels – and a big money move is possible per reports this week.

Arne Engels fancies a move to the Bhoys

Sky Sports reports that the Germans value him at around £9m in the market, meaning he would be an expensive purchase by Celtic’s standards.

However, there is hope of a deal being done. Despite interest from elsewhere including French side Rennes, Engels is said to favour a move to Glasgow to play Champions League football.

Any move is dependent on O’Riley leaving the club this summer. So if the Danish international doesn’t make his switch, we won’t see Engels in Scotland.

Engels has an exciting profile

Still just 20, Engels has been a breakthrough talent in the Bundesliga over the last two seasons, making 51 appearances in total for Augsburg.

FotMob reckon he’s a midfielder who has an eye for goal and forward-thinking creativity in possession, looking to be something of a like-for-like replacement for O’Riley – albeit with lots of development to come.

Celtic are benchmarking their potential replacement for O’Riley at a quality level with other names such as Daniel Gazdag linked with a switch to the Bhoys this summer.

Many fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that Celtic manage to retain O’Riley’s talent for another season but if he does leave then the club must delve into the market with a bit of ambition.

Renato Tapia won’t be joining Celtic this summer after a flurry of speculation earlier this week linking him with a move to Scotland.

Tapia, a defensive midfielder, popped up on the radar of Celtic supporters after social media and messageboard chatter suggested he could be added to Brendan Rodgers’ squad this summer.

South American outlets also reported that the Bhoys were one of several options for the long-serving Peruvian international after he became a free agent.

However, following an exit from Celta Vigo, he’ll be staying in Spain.

Renato Tapia joins La Liga side as Celtic pursue other targets

CD Leganes, recently promoted to La Liga, have added Tapia to their ranks. They officially announced his arrival earlier on Thursday, ending any potential of a switch to Celtic.

The 29-year-old has signed a two-year deal and is already involved on the training pitch as the Spanish side prepare for their season-opener away to Osasuna.

Celtic have been keen on multiple other midfielders this summer but Tapia stood out because he offered a different profile.

The Bhoys haven’t been linked with many defensive-minded midfield options over the last 12 months.

Far more likely is a more attacking option joining the club as a replacement for Matt O’Riley, who is being aggressively pursued by teams across Europe this summer.

Arne Engels has been viewed as the most likely candidate to join Celtic in recent days, should O’Riley end up leaving Glasgow.

The £9m-rated midfielder is being pursued by other suitors, including Rennes in France, but he’s said to hold interest in pulling on the green and white hoops.

With a left-back and centre-back also needed, as a minimum, in the finals weeks of the window, Celtic have to start getting busier in the transfer market.

Arne Engels Celtic transfer talks held but TWO hurdles must be cleared for Augsburg star

The talisman attacking midfielder has interest from the Hoops

Arne Engels of FC Augsburg is a Celtic target

Celtic have held talks over a potential move for Augsburg’s Arne Engels – but must wait for TWO hurdles to be cleared.

Football Scotland understands the Hoops hold a genuine interest in the Belgian playmaker and have contacted the German club about a potential swoop for the 20-year-old. Engels made 33 appearances in all competitions last season and hit three goals with five assists to his name. That form has alerted Parkhead scouts who are keen and have reached out.

Engels would cost a pretty penny with around £10million being touted as the price his club want for his services, but it’s an outgoing Celtic man who would hold the key to any deal going through.

Matt O’Riley is expected to leave the club this summer with a fifth Atalanta bid being booted out by the Scottish champions who are still holding out for the £25million guaranteed with add-ons bumping the deal up. Should the Danish international leave, the path would be clearer for Engels at that stage.

Sources in Germany have also indicated to Football Scotland that another domino could have to be knocked down on Augsburg’s side of the deal. We understand their playmaker Ruben Vargas is hoping to leave the club before the end of the transfer window and that would throw a spanner in the works as the Bundesliga outfit would then be loath to lose both attacking midfielders from their squad.

The window in Scotland remains open until September 1 and Brendan Rodgers wants reinforcements at left-back, defence and in midfield. Another striker could also be brought in if conditions are correct.

Director says Celtic and Crystal Palace must pay over £7m to sign wonderkid

When you have Bayer Leverkusen for competition in a transfer battle, then you can be pretty confident that the player in question is one of considerable talent.

Bundesliga and German Cup winners under Xabi Alonso last season, Leverkusen’s remarkable success story is proof of not only what can be achieved with elite-level coaching but also a recruitment department operating at the very top of their game.

Jeremie Frimpong is a perfect example of both Alonso’s ability to turn good players into great ones, as well as Leverkusen’s ability to unearth rough diamonds available for bargain fees.

The jet-heeled wideman moved to the Bay Arena from Celtic back in January 2021. He set Leverkusen back just £11.5 million at the time. These days, Frimpong is on the radar of Manchester City amongst others, HITC understands.

And, three-and-a-half years on, Celtic may find themselves going head-to-head with Frimpong’s current employers for one of the next generation’s rising stars.

Celtic face Leverkusen battle for Bazoumana Toure

According to Swedish publication Fotboll Direkt, Brendan Rodgers’ side scouted Bazoumana Toure during Hammarby’s 2-0 win away at Brommapojkarna in July.

And talk about timing.

The teenage midfielder opened the scoring in front of those Hoops talent-spotters, spinning on the ball inside the box and lashing it into the top corner with his left boot.

That is one of five goals Bazoumana Toure has scored in just ten league starts this season, in addition to his two assists. Understandably, given such a return and considering that he only turned 18 a few months back, Celtic are not alone in their pursuit.

Bayer Leverkusen are keen. As are Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace of the Premier League.

Hammarby have wasted little time in setting their stall out, however. Toure is not for sale. And, even if he was, anyone who comes calling would have to make an offer in excess of £7.3 million to twist their arm, the Stockholm-based outfit determined to make Toure the most expensive sale in their entire history.

“There are definitely clubs that contact us from the top five leagues,” sporting director Mikael Hjelmberg tells Fotboll Direkt. “But we have been clear that we do not want to sell at all.

“(Toure) is an important player for us and our ambition is to keep him. We have not come to the negotiating table. We have only said that we are not interested in selling.”

“Of course that is the ambition,” Hjelmberg adds, confirming that the Ivory Coast international will have to be the subject of an offer capable of making the record books. “It definitely is.

“We knew that he is a very good player but (his development) may have gone faster than we thought.”

Bids must be over £7 million for Swedish league starlet

The director admits that Hammarby may be powerless to prevent Toure’s departure if they receive an offer in the region of their 100 million-plus Swedish Krone asking price. As things stand, however, no such offers have arrived.

“Where we are right now, and since we haven’t been given anything really concrete to decide on, it’s quite simple,” concludes Hjelmberg.

Scandinavian football is becoming a very fertile development home for young African footballers looking to make their name in Europe.

Mohammed Kudus and Ibrahim Osman, for example, both sealed big-money moves to the Premier League – with West Ham United and Brighton respectively – after honing their talents at Nordsjaelland.

Bazoumana Toure could soon be in the next cab off the rank.

He returned to haunt Brommapojkarna’s dreams again this week, notching twice in a 3-3 draw. Toure’s first showcased his explosive pace and cool finishing, while his second was tucked away with effortless, instinctive quality.

“He is as good as he shows. He is threatening all the time,” Hammarby teammate Nahir Besara tells Expressen.

“It feels like Toure has another level in him. We just need to refine the diamond.”