Celtic Close in on Loan for Chelsea Teen Landon Emenalo
Celtic are closing in on a season-long loan for Chelsea teenager Landon Emenalo as Martin O’Neill’s rebuild gathers serious pace.
The 18-year-old, as reported by Stephen McGowan in The Herald, has been lined up to provide cover for Kieran Tierney at left-back and could be the next fresh face through the door at Celtic Park. O’Neill wants competition for his returning talisman on the left side of defence. Emenalo has emerged as the preferred option.
He arrives with a notable surname. The son of former Chelsea technical director Michael Emenalo, Landon has come through the Stamford Bridge academy and already has international experience at youth level with both England and the United States. Chelsea have used him all over the pitch. Scouts first viewed him as a midfielder, then as a central defender. This summer, his profile has shifted again.
Under Xabi Alonso in pre-season, Emenalo caught the eye at left-back, impressing in three warm-up matches and showcasing the athleticism and composure that have pushed him into Celtic’s sights. That brief audition on the flank may now fast-track him into senior football in Glasgow.
Transfer Activity
O’Neill’s squad, though, is not being rebuilt around one teenager. The move for Emenalo comes during a frantic spell of transfer business. Celtic have already sealed a £6 million deal for Egyptian winger Haissem Hassan, who has signed a four-year contract with an option for a further season. The wide player adds another direct, attacking threat to a forward line that O’Neill wants sharper and more unpredictable.
The conveyor belt is still running. German Under-21 midfielder Mika Baur has travelled to Glasgow and is due to undergo a medical as he closes in on his own move. If all goes to plan, he will join a midfield that O’Neill is quietly reshaping to handle both domestic dominance and European intensity.
Camilo Duran and Danish striker Kasper Høgh are already in the building. Add Hassan, Baur and potentially Emenalo to that list and Celtic could have a very different look by the time they walk out for next week’s Champions League play-off first leg against LASK Linz. The timing is no accident. O’Neill wants his new pieces in place before the club’s biggest games of the season so far.
He has been clear, though: this is not a numbers game. O’Neill has repeatedly stressed his desire to prioritise quality over quantity, even as the arrivals stack up. Celtic are still active in the market for a goalkeeper, another key position he wants locked down before the campaign’s demands truly bite.
Potential Departures
While the door is open for signings, it has not been closed on departures. There could be significant movement the other way before the window shuts. West Ham are expected to return with an improved offer worth £25 million for Arne Engels, testing Celtic’s resolve over one of their prized assets.
On the opposite flank, Celtic are determined not to be bullied. The club remain reluctant to lose Alistair Johnston despite firm interest from Everton. The Scottish champions are understood to want more than £15 million for the Canadian right-back, and Everton are now weighing up alternative options as that valuation holds firm.
O’Neill’s message is blunt: Celtic will refresh, but not at any price. The next few weeks will reveal whether this new-look squad can be kept intact long enough to turn an ambitious summer into something more substantial.
