Celtic push Saracchi deal, Smajlovic bid rebuffed
Celtic track Astana’s World Cup midfielder Ivan Basic, but Eintracht Frankfurt make a formal enquiry and Elche are keen. Astana boss says they will let him go if a suitable bid arrives.
Non-internationals return to Lennoxtown on Friday with eight at the World Cup. Carter-Vickers, Scales and Sinisalo feature, while Saracchi is expected in. Several fringe players seek a clean slate under O’Neill.
Johan Mjallby urges Celtic to back O'Neill in the market before August’s Champions League playoff, warning against past failures and citing the £40m stakes after last season’s lucrative campaign.
Celtic host Middlesbrough on 18 July, a week before AC Milan visit. O'Neill’s side also face Shelbourne on 7 July and a Portugal camp with Sporting CP. Squad overhaul ongoing with interest in Maeda and Engels.
Go Ahead Eagles will sell Jakob Breum, valued at £4m, with one year left. Celtic had bids rebuffed in January. No concrete offer yet. Keeper Jari de Busser heads to AZ, not Celtic. Hoops’ staff additions near.
Celtic’s offer up to £3.5m for Sandefjord centre-back Zinedin Smajlovic was rejected, with the Norwegians seeking around £4.3m. Olympiakos also bid. Oskar Wojcik remains another defensive target.
Andy Halliday claims Daizen Maeda is a ‘cast-iron certainty’ to leave Celtic this summer after last season’s Wolfsburg move collapsed. World Cup involvement may delay any exit.
Boca have told Marcelo Saracchi he can leave, with Celtic in preliminary talks for a £2m permanent move. O'Neill wants him kept despite MLS and Turkish interest, though the left-back seeks game-time assurances.
Celtic near a tax deadline amid criticism of its profit-first transfer policy. Sales of O’Riley, Kuhn and Idah funded limited buys, with exits for Maeda and Engels expected as O’Neill awaits reinforcements.
Arne Engels will decide his Celtic future before non-World Cup training resumes, amid interest from Forest, Palace, AC Milan, Lazio, Napoli and Dortmund. Under contract to 2028, he could fetch a major fee.
