Celtic's Transfer Window Heats Up with Duran Deal

Martin O’Neill expects Celtic’s transfer window to finally catch fire, with Camilo Duran poised to become the first new arrival of the summer and the club braced for a major rebuild.

Duran deal close as Celtic look to shift gears

Celtic have moved to land Duran from Qarabag for a fee in the region of £6m, with the 24-year-old forward having completed his medical and now on the brink of signing. The Hoops have tracked him off the back of an impressive 2025-26 campaign in which he scored five times in the Champions League, a return that turned heads across Europe and underlined his pedigree on the biggest stage.

It is the first sign of real movement in a window that has tested supporters’ patience. While rivals move and rumours swirl, Celtic have, until now, largely stood still.

One piece of business already completed is closer to home. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has agreed a new one-year deal after initially joining on a short-term contract in January. The veteran midfielder brought experience and composure to O’Neill’s title charge last season and will stay on as a trusted figure in a dressing room likely to see heavy traffic in the coming weeks.

The fanbase, though, wants more than continuity. It wants evidence of ambition.

O’Neill: “We have a number of players we’re looking at”

O’Neill insists that work is happening behind the scenes and that Duran’s imminent arrival should be the start, not the end, of Celtic’s summer business.

“We have a number of players that we're looking at,” he said. “We've had a number of offers in for players as well too at the same time.

“And I'm hoping in the not-too-distant future, and I mean maybe in the next couple of weeks, that we will have some really decent players at the football club to add to the very decent players we have at the football club.”

The message is clear: Celtic know they cannot stand still. Not with a title to defend. Not with Champions League qualifiers looming.

Carter-Vickers steps back onto the pitch

There was another important sight for Celtic in the 1-1 draw with Shelbourne: Cameron Carter-Vickers back in a green-and-white shirt.

The United States defender played the first half in Dublin, his first appearance since October after rupturing his Achilles in a Europa League win over Sturm Graz. Both sides scored late penalties, but the real headline for Celtic was the return of their defensive anchor.

“At first, I just thought I had a bit of cramp in my calf,” Carter-Vickers said, recalling the moment of injury. “Pretty soon after that, when the physios saw it, they thought it was a rupture in the Achilles, which it turned out to be. Obviously at that point, you know it's going to be a long-term injury.”

What followed was a long, grinding rehabilitation.

“For me, it was just about understanding that's the situation you're in and just working towards getting back in the best shape and the best way possible.

“It was just about not getting too far ahead of yourself and kind of chasing small gains and being happy with small gains. I was in a cast for three weeks then a boot for eight.

“You can't really move your foot in any type of direction at first so right at the beginning of the rehab, it was about when I did get a bit of movement back in my foot, it was about taking that as a win and being positive about it and then after that you're chasing the next thing and the next thing.”

His return offers O’Neill a cornerstone at the back as he reshapes the squad. Fit, focused and battle-hardened, Carter-Vickers feels like a new signing in his own right.

Sutton’s warning: “Celtic need to spend £50m”

If O’Neill’s tone is optimistic, Chris Sutton’s is blunt. The former Celtic striker believes the champions must commit serious money if they want to stay on top domestically and make a dent in Europe.

“Martin worked wonders last season. I didn't see Celtic winning the title from the position which he was put in on a couple of occasions,” Sutton told Sky Sports News. “I mean, the run towards the end of the season was extraordinary but I still think you can't get away from the fact there needs to be a lot of change at Celtic in terms of recruitment.”

The warning comes with a reminder: the Champions League qualifier is fast approaching, and last season’s late surge should not disguise the struggles that came before it.

“They've got the Champions League qualifier which is really important and, however exciting it was for Celtic fans to end up getting over the line last season, you can't get away from the fact that Celtic struggled at times throughout the season. Martin will be looking to, I'm sure, bring players in.”

Then comes the hard part. Keeping the core together.

“It'll be interesting to see who goes out from Celtic. It looks like Reo Hatate will go, possibly Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels but they're big players for the team. Who are Celtic going to replace those type of players with? Celtic are possibly going to have to spend up to or more than £50m really because the squad does need a rebuild.”

That figure – £50m and possibly more – underlines the scale of the job. Duran’s arrival would be a start. It will not be enough on its own.

Title defence begins under the lights

All of this unfolds against a ticking clock. Celtic begin their Scottish Premiership title defence at home to Dundee on August 3, a Monday night kick-off at 7.30pm.

The fixture rounds off a landmark opening weekend, with all six top-flight games shown live on Sky Sports for the first time. The champions will step into the new season under the glare of the cameras, their transfer work – or lack of it – exposed for all to judge.

By then, O’Neill expects to have “some really decent players” through the door. Sutton expects a bill running towards £50m. The supporters expect a squad capable of holding onto the crown and walking into Europe with something more than hope.

The window is open. The money will have to follow.