Latest news with #Hoops'
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Daizen Maeda in transfer hint amid Brentford swirl as Celtic face £6m price drop with three deals required
The Hoops' hero is attracting interest from across Europe this summer Brentford are reportedly among the clubs chasing Daizen Maeda this summer - but the striker has hinted his focus is on Celtic. The 27-year-old was the standout performer for the Scottish Premiership champions last season netting 33 goals as Brendan Rodgers' claimed a domestic double. That has seen the likes of Tottenham, Fenerbahce and West Ham touted with a move for the forward - and reports in Japan suggest The Bees' have joined the race. Reports in Turkey stating Jose Mourinho's men were told stump up £21million for the star by Celtic - and that valuation is unlikely to have moved since. But Maeda has already hinted this summer that he is in no rush to leave - and he has now talked up his Parkhead teammates in the latest clue he is focussed on life in Glasgow's east end. The forward told KICK OFF! KANSAI: "There is one year left until the North-Central America World Cup: I want to make connections with Japanese national team players special. "Like at Celtic, there were many scenes where I thought my teammate was coming but my timing with the passer was in sync. After three and a half years, my teammates understand me." In terms of incoming players, Red Star Belgrade defender Veljko Milosavljevic is also said to be on the agenda - with Mozzart Sport claiming that the Serbian side are ready to drop their asking price. It was claimed earlier this summer that Celtic representatives "offered" £5.1million for the 17-year-old, which was rejected. It is now stated that while Red Star hope to receive €10million (£8.6million) for the player they could sell for €7million (£6million) with interest from earlier in the window cooling. And while a new centre-back appears to be on the agenda, Gordon Strachan insists that a winger, striker and another midfielder are required by Rodgers this summer. He told OLBG: 'Celtic have had wide attackers rather than wingers. People can score goals, get in the box, make goals, rather than just a winger who can cross the ball and things like that. So I think that's where they'll be going. 'Do they need another striker? Yes I think they do. They'll be looking at that as well. They'll be looking at a midfield player similar to Reo Hatate who can eliminate people in midfield. 'In the modern game, because the defenders are good, when people get back into zonal areas or go man for man, the fact is that you need somebody to eliminate people. 'Hatate could do that and so could Matt O'Riley. Matt O'Riley has been gone a year but they still need somebody who can do that as well.' The comments come with the Hoops' on the lookout for a successor to Nicolas Kuhn - who has admitted he would love to play against his former club Celtic next week and introduce himself to Como in style. The German winger completed a £17million move to the big-spending Serie A side last week and will be an important part of Cesc Fabregas' team. One of his first matches could even be against the former club in pre-season as the Parkhead side prepare to jet into Italy for the Como Cup tournament. Celtic face Ajax and Como entertain Al Ahli and there's a chance Kuhn could face his old teammates in either the final or the third and fourth place play-off. And he would relish coming up against his former colleagues, having also played for Ajax too. He said: "I'll definitely play against one of my former teams because we will play either Celtic or Ajax. "If we could play against Celtic, I would be really excited to face all my teammates from last season. "I can't wait to play in the tournament. My beginnings at Como have gone really well. I like the Italian atmosphere and the team is fantastic, everyone is helping me settle in and I'm really happy to be here. "The training centre is fantastic, the quality is high, and so far everything has been perfect. I think we have a lot of very good players in the squad." Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
Daily Record
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
There's a Celtic transfer theory that might just be proven wrong and I'm starting to get worried
Brendan Rodgers has been quick to cool expectations on some of Celtic's signings and Keith Jackson wonders why It's been taken as a given so far that Brendan Rodgers will eventually get his way in this transfer window. But the fact the boss has been so quick to distance himself from some of the signings Celtic have made is an early warning sign that might just not be the case. That's the view of Keith Jackson on tonight's Hotline Live who reckons the presumed 'two-tier' summer transfer strategy might not be everything it once seemed. The Hoops' rapid start to the window excited fans with the return of Kieran Tierney and the quickfire arrival of Benjamin Nygren, but it's since given way to a slate of project players – and Rodgers has been quick to cool expectations on some of them. He suggested Hayato Inamura, just in the door, would be a B-team player initially, and said this week he'd need to assess incoming striker Shin Yamada on the spot before deciding if he's first-team ready. There's been talk of a two-tier strategy all window – one slate of handpicked Rodgers signings who are first team ready, and another crew of project players to develop in the years ahead. But what if that's not going to be the case? That was the question posed by Jackson on tonight's live show as he said: "Do you know what's worrying me? It hasn't worried me up until this point, but it's starting to eat away at me... "You're always trying to think logically, because Brendan Rodgers is a deep thinker. He never says anything without thinking about it. Words don't jump out his mouth unless they've been vetted, processed and ticked off – everything is said for a reason. "If I'm Brendan Rodgers, and that's the way I conduct myself, I don't think I'd be needing to put so much distance between myself and the signings that have been made. "Because I'm perfectly relaxed. I know what's happening on the other side, I know that before the end of the window, I'm getting my way. I probably know exactly who the players are that I'm going to be bringing in; I actually don't need to publicly manoeuvre myself away from any responsibility from what's gone on in this transfer market. "That is why I'm starting to wonder, were we wrong to just assume that he'd get his way, and there would be a two-tiered signing strategy? What if it's a one-tier? "One size won't fit all on this one..."
The Irish Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Stephen Bradley believes LOI clubs will ‘go all-in' on the FAI Cup as his side prepare to face Wexford
SHAMROCK Rovers boss Stephen Bradley is sure some clubs will prioritise the FAI Cup over the League of Ireland now with an eye on the additional European prize. This year's FAI Cup winners will go into next year's Europa League rather than the Conference League. 2 The 40-year-old led Rovers to FAI Cup glory in 2019 beating Dundalk in the final 2 The Hoops host Wexford FC in Tallaght in the second round of the FAI Cup on Friday But that place also comes with a 'parachute' into the Conference League if eliminated from the Europa League, which means a guaranteed €700,000 instead of €325,000. And He told SunSport: 'I definitely think it will (make a difference). Not that people took their eye off the ball or discarded the Cup, because it's such an important competition. 'But I think the fact that the rewards are so good in terms of where you end up in Europe. Read more on League of Ireland 'You'll see clubs will prioritise these games in terms of selection, if it comes down to it between a league and Cup game, I think people will go all-in on a Cup game.' Ireland earned that Europa League place for next season largely thanks to But to keep the extra prize of a Europa League spot, Ireland must stay there which means every European victory and draw matters. Bradley added: 'It's up to us, you see Shelbourne last night, hopefully Pat's and ourselves, it's unfortunate for Drogheda ( 'We don't want to go dropping places. We need to keep pushing as the more European spots, the better the prize money and it's something we all have to push for.' The Hoops' own Conference League action does not start until next week as they received a first round bye. Celtic star Daizen Maeda spotted doing press-ups in technical area after being subbed-off against Sporting Lisbon And Bradley will travel to Solitude this evening to watch the Hoops' potential opponents Cliftonville and St Joseph's having also been in Gibraltar last week to see the 2-2 draw. He said: 'It's unusual to get to see both ties but it was very evenly matched over there. We'll go again tonight to watch them and make sure we're prepared.' But before Europe, the Hoops - who lead the league - are in FAI Cup action against Wexford in Tallaght tomorrow evening. Bradley added: 'It's been a strange one as we usually come into the cup game off the back of a big European game. 'You can see what (manager) Stephen Elliott is trying to do. I played with him and against him all the way up and you can see what he is trying to implement. 'They're getting there, they're really dangerous in transition so we've got to respect them. 'We want to go far in the cup this year. It's the first time we're not starting it on the back of Europe which I've no doubt played its part in some results before. 'But Wexford will come with a freedom, and we've got to be ready for it.'
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Shin Yamada gets emotional Celtic sendoff as Odsonne Edouard 'welcomed' in double striker transfer push
The striker is set to fly out to Glasgow to be officially unveiled as a Hoops' player Incoming Shin Yamada has been given an emotional farewell by Kawasaki Frontale as he inches closer to rubber stamping a move to Celtic. The Japan international has been with his country at the E-1 Championship but returned to his club side to say a final goodbye to the J-League club before travelling to Glasgow for his official unveiling. After the clubs agreed a £1.2m fee, the 25-year-old travelled back to Kawaski to take in Frontale's Emperors Cup clash with minnows SC Sagamihara. Yamada's soon-to-be former club were stunned by the J-League 3 side as they crashed out of the competition on penalties. However, that didn't deter fans staying after the final whistle to say goodbye to Yamada as he prepares to jet out of the country. The fans unveiled a banner featuring Yamada in front of a Saltire as the emotional striker waved farewell to the club where he has played since 2018. The crowd could be heard chanting his name as he did his final lap of the Uvance Todoroki Stadium as he received the same treatment as Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Kyogo when they sealed a switch to the Scottish Premiership. Celtic have been told former hero Odsonne Edouard is set to become available this summer as they ramp up their attempts to bolster the frontline. And despite the Scottish Premiership champions facing huge financial hurdles if they are to snap up the Frenchman from Crystal Palace, Gordon Dalziel reckons a deal would be "welcomed" for the striker who left for the Premier League in 2021 in a £14m deal. With Edouard understood to be weighing up his options, the former Rangers star told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard: 'He has gone down there after being a big success in Scotland, let's not be kidded. 'He has gone down to England. Played in a top, top league against top centre-halves. For me, he has got to have improved. He's 27. He's at a good age. In fact, a really good age. 'It tells me it will be a case of financially. See if financially, if the deal could be done, I think Celtic would welcome that. I could be wrong. But I think they would welcome it. And I think a lot of Celtic fans would be very positive about it. 'I just look at him, at the right age, coming back to Celtic, he knows the club inside and out. You have seen it. Celtic have a habit of doing this. 'You look at Jota. Put him out for big money and brought him back. (Kieran) Tierney, out for big money and then brought him back. I wouldn't be surprised if this went through.
Scottish Sun
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Celtic ‘close' to signing attacker from European club with Hoops expected to offer ‘hefty sum'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CELTIC have been busy in this summer's transfer window already, making five signings to this point. And the Hoops' attack is expected to undergo further surgery with the imminent departure of Nicolas Kuhn, who was spotted flying to Italy to complete his transfer to Como today. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 3 Celtic and Brendan Rodgers have already signed five new players this summer Credit: PA 3 The Hoops could be on the hunt for a new forward to replace the outgoing Nicolas Kuhn Credit: Kenny Ramsay 3 Celts are reported to be 'close' to signing a European winger Credit: Getty A new report has suggested that Celtic are 'close' to signing a new wide man from a European side. Brendan Rodgers' men have already added two attackers in this window, first with right winger Benjamin Nygren joining from Nordsjaelland. They then snapped up former Fulham striker Callum Osmand on a free transfer. And now they're rumoured to be closing in on a player for the third and final attacking position, on the left wing. That's as Belgian outlet Voetbalkrant reports that Celts are nearing an agreement with Royal Antwerp over Michel-Ange Balikwisha. We've told you how the Hoops have been considering the Belgian in the past, most recently as an alternative to fellow target Isak Jansson. Voetbalkrant say that the two clubs have been 'in talks for some time' over a deal, and that Celtic are 'now pushing through'. It's understood that the Belgian side want to collect a 'hefty sum' for the 24-year-old while they can, with his contract set to expire next year and no extension planned. Balikwisha's form reportedly 'did not go unnoticed at European level', but it's not specified whether Celts could face competition for the signature. The winger had a stop-start season through injury, but managed three goals and two assists in the final seven games of the season to help Antwerp into a European place. Nygren 'will be Hoops' best transfer this summer' plus Kuhn, Yamada latest | Celtic transfer special Antwerp are believed to want the sale finalised this week, so that sporting director and former Arsenal hero Marc Overmars can use the transfer fee to kickstart their summer spending. Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
