Celtic transfer news sees the club targeting six new signings before Wednesday's deadline, following the departure of midfielder Reo Hatate to Burnley. The Scotsman Football reported that the Premiership leaders were the busiest club in Scotland over the past 24 hours, sealing the signing of midfielder Oliver Sorensen on Tuesday afternoon while pushing for more arrivals.
Celtic sit first in the Premiership with a perfect record of three wins from three games, giving them nine points and a two-point lead over St Mirren. They have scored eight goals and conceded just two, a strong start they aim to bolster with new talent. The club's immediate focus is on the transfer window, with a clear plan to strengthen the squad.
Who is on Celtic's transfer wishlist?
According to The Scotsman, Celtic's six-man shortlist includes players from across Europe. The club holds interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joel van den Berg. Talks are reportedly ongoing for Chelsea left-back Landon Emenalo and a player named Shim Mheuka. Further targets are Torino's Lithuanian midfielder Gvidas Gineitis and Feyenoord's Swiss right-back Jordan Lotomba. These potential moves indicate a broad strategy to add depth in multiple positions ahead of the season's crucial stages. You can view the current squad composition on our squad page.
What did Reo Hatate say about his Burnley move?
Japanese midfielder Reo Hatate's exit was confirmed during the final minutes of the English Football League transfer window. The 28-year-old, who had been a key figure at Celtic, will now play in the English Championship with Burnley. Hatate broke his silence on the move, expressing his excitement. "This is a great move for me," Hatate said. "It’s my first time playing in England and it’s a fantastic club to be joining." He added that he aims to "bring my experience and knowledge to the dressing room and help the team on the pitch as much as possible to achieve our aim." His departure creates a vacancy in Celtic's midfield that the new signings are expected to fill.
Which other Scottish clubs were active?
The transfer window saw movement across the Scottish Premiership. Rangers midfielder Nicolas Raskin could still leave before the deadline, while Connor Barron, a 24-year-old Scottish midfielder, has already left Ibrox to join Middlesbrough on loan. Hibernian, under head coach David Gray, signed 24-year-old defender Marko Ivezic from German club Holstein Kiel, a player with Bundesliga experience. Dundee United secured the signing of Lyall Cameron. These deals show a league-wide push to finalise squads, with the full Premiership picture available on our standings page.
Where do Celtic go from here?
With the deadline looming, Celtic's recruitment team faces a busy final day to secure their targets. The club's strong league position, built on a recent form of three consecutive wins, provides a solid platform for integrating new players. Their next challenge is a home match against Motherwell, who are sixth in the table, on December 26th. Fans can track that fixture and others on our fixtures schedule. The outcome of this frantic transfer period will significantly shape Celtic's squad for the remainder of the campaign as they defend their lead at the top of the table.
