Celtic and Rangers Navigate Summer Transfer Market

The Scottish game is bracing for another jolt. Celtic are closing in on a new striker, Daizen Maeda is on the verge of the exit door, and Rangers are reshaping their forward line from the other side of the world. All of it feeds into a summer that already feels pivotal for both halves of Glasgow.

Celtic: One In, One Out – and More to Come

Celtic’s next No 9 may already be sitting in a different shade of yellow. Kasper Høgh, rated at around £7m, is edging towards a move from Bodo/Glimt after the Scottish champions held talks with the Norwegian club over the 25-year-old Dane.

The clearest sign yet came on Thursday night. Bodo/Glimt cruised to a 3-0 win over HamKam; Høgh never left the bench. For a player who has been on Celtic’s radar since January, that omission felt less like a tactical tweak and more like a nod to what comes next.

As one forward prepares to arrive, another is packing his bags. Daizen Maeda landed in London on Thursday to undergo a medical ahead of a £10m move to Ipswich Town. The 28-year-old Japan international, a relentless runner and big-game performer under Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, is expected to have his departure from Celtic confirmed on Friday. Losing his energy and versatility will hurt, but that fee, combined with Høgh’s potential arrival, signals a deliberate refresh of the front line rather than a fire sale.

Celtic’s recruitment drive does not stop there. The club have tested Paderborn’s resolve over midfielder Mika Baur with a £4m offer, but the newly promoted Bundesliga side are standing firm. They value the 22-year-old higher and are prepared to let him leave for free next summer rather than cash in below their asking price now. It’s a hard line that leaves Celtic with a decision: walk away or pay up for a player they clearly like.

Eyes have also turned to Serie A. Celtic are tracking two Lazio attackers – 25-year-old striker Gustav Isaksen and 24-year-old winger Matteo Cancellieri. Both fit the club’s familiar profile: young, technically sharp, resale value baked in. Whether they can prise either out of Rome is another question entirely.

At the back, the champions are also weighing up their options in goal. Las Palmas have made it clear that Dinko Horkas will not come cheap. The Spanish club want more than £4.3m plus a sell-on clause for the 27-year-old, a price that underlines how difficult it is to find value between the posts in the current market.

Even players already in Glasgow are drawing admiring glances. Reo Hatate, whose blend of control and creativity has often set Celtic’s tempo, is on West Ham United’s radar. He is not alone. Rangers defender John Souttar and his brother Harry, the Leicester City and Australia centre-back, are also being monitored by the London club. It is a rare transfer thread tying together both sides of the Old Firm and two international setups.

Rangers: Danilo Departs, Defence Under Watch

Across the city, Rangers are moving pieces of their own. Danilo has touched down in Brazil and is due to undergo a medical on Friday ahead of a loan move to Botafogo. The 27-year-old striker arrived at Ibrox with big expectations but never fully imposed himself; this switch offers a reset in a league that should suit his instincts.

Rangers have also been keeping tabs on defensive prospects, but one target is slipping away. AC Milan are closing in on an agreement with Troyes for 20-year-old centre-back Sankhoun Diawara, a player who had attracted interest from both Rangers and Basel. Once a club of Milan’s stature enters the frame, the race tends to be over quickly.

There is another Rangers link from further south. Mikey Moore, back at Tottenham Hotspur after a loan spell at Ibrox, came off the bench in Spurs’ 1-0 friendly win over MK Dons and admitted he is “buzzing to be back”. The 18-year-old insists his time in Glasgow has made him a better player. For Rangers, that is a quiet endorsement of the environment they are building, even if they do not get to enjoy the long-term benefits.

Hearts, Aberdeen and Dundee United Jostle for Position

Beyond the Old Firm, the rest of the Premiership is just as busy trying to shape its future.

Heart of Midlothian are closing in on a deal that could rewrite the record books at Forest Green Rovers. Manager Robbie Savage has confirmed the National League side stand to collect a club-record fee, potentially rising close to seven figures, if midfielder Laurent Mendy agrees personal terms with Hearts. At 29, Mendy would arrive as a ready-made presence in the middle of the park, and the numbers involved underline how serious Hearts are about strengthening.

Aberdeen, meanwhile, are wrestling with the realities of the market. Talks have started over a move for 21-year-old centre-back Jadel Katongo from Kayserispor, but sources in Turkey suggest the financial demands are steep. The England Under-20 international would represent a significant coup for the Dons, yet the deal looks complicated, expensive and far from straightforward.

Dundee United are waiting on paperwork rather than persuasion. The Tannadice club are still seeking clearance from Major League Soccer to complete the loan signing of 21-year-old left-back Philippe Ndinga from Philadelphia Union. The deal is lined up; the final approval is not. Until MLS sign it off, United can only wait.

Manager Jim Goodwin has another battle on his hands. Lorenzo Sassetti, who became Dundee United’s youngest ever player on Tuesday at just 15, is already attracting attention from Serie A and the English top flight. Goodwin has vowed to “fight tooth and nail” to keep the forward at the club. That kind of language tells its own story: United know they have something special, and they also know how quickly such talent can disappear.

European Undercurrents

There is a European subplot unfolding as well. 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 Philippe Clement’s side, that is one less creative threat to worry about in a tie where margins are often razor-thin.

Deals, stand-offs, medicals, and refusals to report: the Scottish game is deep in the summer’s chaos. Celtic look set to trade Maeda’s industry for Høgh’s finishing, Rangers are resetting their attack in Brazil, and the chasing pack are gambling on experience, youth, and everything in between.

The window still has weeks to run. With squads in flux and Europe looming, who blinks first?