Celtic Pursue Høgh as Maeda Heads for Exit
The revolving door at Celtic Park is swinging hard again. One striker is on the runway in Norway, another forward is already in London. Brendan Rodgers’ front line is being ripped up and rebuilt before the league campaign has even settled.
Høgh on the horizon
Celtic are deep in talks with Bodo/Glimt over Kasper Høgh, the 25-year-old Danish striker rated at around £7m. Negotiations have progressed to the point where a move is now described as likely, with the Scottish champions pushing to land a player they have tracked since January.
On Thursday night, Høgh never left the bench. Bodo/Glimt eased to a 3-0 win over HamKam, yet the Dane remained an unused substitute, his absence from the action only fuelling the sense that his future lies in Glasgow rather than the Eliteserien.
Celtic see goals and growth in him. At 25, he fits the club’s model: peak years ahead, resale value intact, and a profile that can be sharpened on the European stage.
Maeda’s London step
To make room, someone had to go. That someone is Daizen Maeda.
The Japan forward arrived in London on Thursday to undergo a medical ahead of a £10m move to Ipswich Town. The 28-year-old’s departure from Celtic could be confirmed as early as Friday, ending a spell defined by relentless work-rate, tactical discipline and big-game graft.
Ipswich are betting that Maeda’s pressing and pace will translate smoothly to the Premier League. Celtic are betting that the fee, and the freed-up wages, will help reshape a more clinical, more varied attack.
Baur talks stall, Lazio pair monitored
Not every pursuit is moving so quickly.
Celtic have yet to meet Paderborn’s valuation for Mika Baur. A £4m offer has already been knocked back, with the newly promoted Bundesliga side in no rush to cash in. Paderborn would rather let the 22-year-old midfielder walk for free next summer than sell him now for less than they believe he is worth.
So Celtic wait, watch, and keep their options open.
Those options include two names in Rome. The club hold an interest in Lazio duo Gustav Isaksen, the 25-year-old striker, and 24-year-old winger Matteo Cancellieri. For a squad that has occasionally looked short of variety in the final third, the attraction is obvious: pace, width, and the ability to play across the frontline.
Goalkeeping question and Hatate interest
Behind that forward reshuffle sits another key issue: who guards the goal?
Las Palmas have set a firm stance over Dinko Horkas. The Spanish club want more than £4.3m plus a sell-on clause for the 27-year-old, who has been heavily linked with Celtic. It is a price that reflects both his age and potential, and it leaves the Scottish champions with a decision to make over how aggressively they want to strengthen between the posts.
Higher up the pitch, Reo Hatate is attracting admiring glances. West Ham United are monitoring the Celtic midfielder as part of a broader defensive and midfield search that also includes Rangers centre-half John Souttar and his brother Harry, the Australia and Leicester City defender. The London club’s interest underlines how firmly Scottish football now sits on Premier League scouting lists.
Danilo back to Brazil, Rangers miss out on Diawara
Across the city, Rangers’ own rebuild has taken a twist.
Danilo has arrived in Brazil and is due to undergo a medical on Friday ahead of a loan move to Botafogo. The 27-year-old striker’s time at Ibrox has been interrupted by injuries and inconsistency; a return to his homeland offers the chance to reset his career and regain rhythm in familiar surroundings.
Rangers have also watched another target slip away. AC Milan are close to an agreement with Troyes for 20-year-old central defender Sankhoun Diawara, a player who had attracted interest from both the Ibrox club and Basel. When Milan call, the market usually listens, and Rangers are left to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements.
Moore returns sharper from Rangers spell
One young winger has already drawn a line under his brief Scottish chapter.
Mikey Moore, back at Tottenham Hotspur after his loan at Rangers, played the second half of Spurs’ 1-0 friendly win over MK Dons. The 18-year-old said he is “buzzing to be back” and believes his time in Glasgow has made him a better player. For Rangers, it is a reminder of the role they can play in shaping elite prospects, even if they do not stay long.
Hearts closing in on record Mendy deal
In Edinburgh, Heart of Midlothian are closing on a deal that would set a new financial benchmark for a National League club.
Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage has confirmed that the English side stand to bank a record fee, potentially rising close to seven figures, if 29-year-old midfielder Laurent Mendy agrees personal terms with Hearts. For the Tynecastle side, it is a significant outlay on experience and physicality in the middle of the park.
Aberdeen’s Katongo challenge and United’s waiting game
Further north, Aberdeen are testing the market’s limits.
Talks have begun to bring 21-year-old centre-back Jadel Katongo from Kayserispor. The England Under-20 international fits the profile Barry Robson wants: young, athletic, comfortable on the ball. The problem is the price. Sources in Turkey suggest the finances involved make a permanent deal extremely difficult, and Aberdeen may have to get creative if they are to land him.
Dundee United, meanwhile, are stuck in a holding pattern. The Tannadice club are still waiting for Major League Soccer to sign off on the loan of 21-year-old left-back Philippe Ndinga from Philadelphia Union. Until MLS sanction the move, United can only wait and hope the paperwork catches up with their planning.
Manager Jim Goodwin has other worries. He has vowed to “fight tooth and nail” to keep Lorenzo Sassetti at the club after the teenager became United’s youngest ever player on Tuesday at just 15. The forward is already being tracked by several Serie A and Premier League clubs. United know the pattern: once the big leagues start circling, it takes resolve and a clear pathway to convince a prodigy to stay.
Jackson stands firm as Rangers tie looms
On the continent, a transfer stand-off has direct implications for Rangers’ European campaign.
Jagiellonia Bialystok have confirmed that United States midfielder AZ Jackson has refused to return to Poland for pre-season after spending the second half of last season on loan at Vancouver Whitecaps. The 24-year-old will not feature against Rangers in Europa League qualifying.
For Jagiellonia, it is a headache. For Rangers, it is one less creative threat to worry about in a tie that could help define their season.
Across Scotland, the market is restless. Strikers in, forwards out, teenagers courted by giants, and English clubs shopping heavily north of the border. The window still has weeks to run. The question now is who will look back on this flurry of deals as the moment their season truly turned.
