Celtic Pursue Høgh as Maeda Heads to Ipswich
The summer reshuffle in Scottish football’s top end is gathering pace, with Celtic and Rangers both deep in the middle of significant attacking overhauls.
Celtic line up Høgh as Maeda exit looms
Celtic look increasingly close to landing Kasper Høgh from Bodo/Glimt, a deal that would mark a major step in their rebuild of the forward line.
The Scottish champions have held talks with the Norwegian club over the 25-year-old Dane, who is valued at around £7m. Høgh stayed on the bench as an unused substitute on Thursday night while Bodo/Glimt cruised to a 3-0 win over HamKam, a clear signal that negotiations are advanced and his departure is being prepared in the background.
Celtic have tracked Høgh since January. Now, with Daizen Maeda on the verge of leaving, the need for a new striker has sharpened into urgency.
Maeda arrived in London on Thursday to undergo a medical ahead of a £10m move to Ipswich Town, with his exit from Glasgow expected to be confirmed on Friday. The Japan forward has been a relentless runner and tireless presser for Celtic, but his sale offers a significant profit and fresh room in the wage bill for the next phase of recruitment.
The champions are not stopping at Høgh. They have already tested Paderborn’s resolve for midfielder Mika Baur with a £4m bid, but the newly promoted Bundesliga side are standing firm. Paderborn are prepared to let the 22-year-old leave for free next summer rather than sell below their valuation now, leaving Celtic with a decision to make: pay up or walk away.
On the flanks and in attack, Celtic’s scouting net has stretched to Serie A. The club hold an interest in two Lazio players – 25-year-old forward Gustav Isaksen and 24-year-old winger Matteo Cancellieri – as they look to add variety and depth across the front line.
At the back, the search for a new goalkeeper has taken them to La Liga. Las Palmas want more than £4.3m plus a sell-on clause for 27-year-old Dinko Horkas, a price that underlines how costly a long-term No 1 can be in the current market.
There is attention on outgoings as well as incomings. Reo Hatate is on the radar of West Ham United, who are also tracking Rangers centre-half John Souttar and his brother Harry, the Leicester City and Australia defender. Any serious move for Hatate would test Celtic’s resolve to keep one of their most technically gifted midfielders.
Danilo back to Brazil as Rangers reset
Across the city, Rangers are reshaping their forward options too. 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, who never fully settled at Ibrox amid injuries and inconsistency, is set for a return to familiar surroundings as Rangers clear space for new faces in the final third.
Their recruitment team have already missed out on one young defensive target. 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 Rangers and Basel. The Italian giants’ move underlines the level of competition Rangers now face when they dip into the European market for emerging talent.
Young talent on the move and under threat
Scottish clubs further down the ladder are also braced for change.
Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage has confirmed that the National League side stand to collect a record fee – potentially rising close to seven figures – if midfielder Laurent Mendy agrees personal terms with Heart of Midlothian. The 29-year-old would arrive in Edinburgh with a sizeable price tag and the expectation to anchor Hearts’ midfield from day one.
Aberdeen, meanwhile, have opened talks over 21-year-old centre-back Jadel Katongo, currently with Kayserispor. Sources in Turkey suggest the finances involved are steep, and the Dons face a serious challenge to strike a deal for the England Under-20 international. Ambition is clear; whether the budget can match it is another matter.
Dundee United are waiting on the green light from Major League Soccer to complete a loan deal for 21-year-old left-back Philippe Ndinga from Philadelphia Union. The move is in the system, but the paperwork remains stuck in the transatlantic pipeline.
Manager Jim Goodwin has a different kind of battle on his hands. He has vowed to “fight tooth and nail” to keep Lorenzo Sassetti at Tannadice after the forward became Dundee United’s youngest ever player on Tuesday at just 15. The teenager is already being tracked by clubs in Serie A and the English top flight, and United know that every appearance, every highlight clip, increases the noise around him.
Jackson stands firm as Jagiellonia plan without him
On the European front, 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, a notable absence in a tie that already carried intrigue for both clubs.
From Glasgow to Aberdeen, from Edinburgh to Dundee, the market is moving quickly. Strikers are changing continents, teenagers are attracting superpower attention, and Scotland’s leading clubs are gambling on who will define their seasons. The real question now is simple: who has judged the market right, and who will be left short when the whistle blows for the first competitive ball?
