Celtic Target Yves Bissouma as Midfield Solution

Celtic have turned their attention to a familiar Premier League face as Martin O’Neill searches for steel and control in midfield – with former Tottenham man Yves Bissouma firmly on their radar.

The 29-year-old is a free agent after leaving Spurs, a status that instantly makes him one of the more intriguing late-window options in Europe. No fee, plenty of pedigree, and a profile that appears to fit a glaring Celtic need.

Bissouma built his reputation in England as a ball-winner who relishes the dirty work. He snaps into tackles, drags his team up the pitch by carrying the ball through pressure, and rarely shies away from the physical side of the game. That blend of aggression and composure is exactly what O’Neill’s side lacked in their bruising Champions League exit to LASK, when Celtic’s midfield faded badly in Austria and never managed to grab hold of the contest.

That collapse has sharpened the focus on recruitment. Celtic know they cannot afford a repeat on the European stage, and the search for a midfielder who can dictate tempo and resist the press has moved up the priority list.

But Bissouma will not be short of offers.

Journalist Lassana Camara reports that Celtic are “closely following” the Mali international’s situation, with Ajax and İstanbul Başakşehir also in the frame. According to Camara’s translated comments, Ajax have “entered the race” and are keen to bring Bissouma to the Netherlands, while Başakşehir view him as a strong fit for their midfield. Celtic, he adds, are monitoring developments from Scotland as the transfer window ticks towards its conclusion.

After several seasons in the Premier League, Bissouma stands at a crossroads. Stay in one of Europe’s top five leagues? Try a new country and a different style? Or step into the intensity of Glasgow, with domestic expectation and European redemption on offer?

Camara suggests the picture could clear “in the coming hours.” For Celtic, those hours may define whether O’Neill gets the midfield enforcer he clearly needs, or whether the search for control in the middle of the park drags on into the final days of the window.