Key points
Hello and welcome to 67 Hail Hail’s coverage of what could be a very busy transfer deadline night for Celtic.
We’re into the final three hours of Celtic’s summer transfer window and to date Brendan Rodgers has made six confirmed signings in Vijami Sinisalo, Kasper Schmeichel, Paulo Bernardo, Adam Idah, Alex Valle and Auston Trusty.
However, the club aren’t finished and could bring others to Glasgow in the closing stages before tonight’s 11pm cut-off. And there’s always the hope of a couple of surprises, too, as clubs all over Europe make final decisions on their squads.
Join us for all the latest transfer developments with bids, medicals, announcements and exits all in play. You can check out the updates in our live blog below, so keep refreshing for the up-to-date Celtic news.
And that’s us
We’ll have the analysis and reaction to a hectic deadline day on 67 Hail Hail tomorrow.
Thanks for joining me throughout the evening and good night!
[Link]Celtic confirm Luke McCowan signing
And there it is! Celtic announce their third deal of deadline day, signing up Dundee midfielder Luke McCowan on a three-year contract.
Luke McCowan paperwork submitted in time
Sky Sports News are reporting that Celtic and Dundee managed to submit the relevant paperwork on a Luke McCowan deal in time before the deadline, so confirmation should come soon.
[Link]Tomoki Iwata Celtic exit confirmed
Japanese midfielder Tomoki Iwata has officially signed for Birmingham City from Celtic.
Celtic have confirmed it’s a permanent deal.
Odsonne Edouard joins Leicester City
While we hang around for McCowan news there’s an update on a former Bhoy.
Fabrizio Romano reports that Odsonne Edouard has made the switch from Crystal Palace to Leicester City on a loan basis after a late push to secure his signature.
[Link]The window shuts but another could come
We’re still waiting to hear whether the Luke McCowan move has gone through in time or whether it has been abandoned.
Celtic were said to have had a £1m bid for the Dundee star accepted around an hour ago.
[Link]Brendan Rodgers speaks after Engels confirmed
The Celtic manager said: “We are delighted to bring Arne to Celtic. He is an exciting young player of real quality who has already made his mark at a really high level in the Bundesliga.
“He has a wide range of attributes which will allow him to play a number of positions in midfield, so we feel he is an excellent acquisition for the club. I think Arne’s style of play, his energy and his technical ability really will suit our game model.
“While Celtic will always be our priority, it is fantastic too that Arne is now receiving full international recognition within a top Belgian squad, something he is very deserving of.”
[Link]Celtic announce Arne Engels signing
The Belgian has signed for the Bhoys on a four-year deal for a reported fee of £11m.
No panic as 11pm approaches
Celtic can still technically get transfers through if the deadline comes and go so don’t panic if there are no announcements in the next 15 minutes.
The club can use what is called a ‘deal sheet’ where two clubs can prove they are on the verge of completing a transfer without actually signing the formalities.
[Link]Celtic will pay £1m for Luke McCowan
PLZ Soccer are reporting that the bid Dundee have accepted for Luke McCowan is worth £1m.
[Link]Celtic reach ‘verbal agreement’ to sign Luke McCowan
A late, late one for Celtic here. BBC Scotland reports that Luke McCowan is on his way to Celtic Park from Dundee to sign for the Bhoys after a ‘verbal agreement’ was reached with the Dens Park club.
Auston Trusty says farewell to Sheffield United
The American defender posted on Instagram after signing for Celtic: “Thank you Sheffield United for giving me the opportunity to fulfil a boyhood dream of playing in the Premier League. I am incredibly grateful for my time at the club. Thank you to all my teammates and everyone at the organization for making me feel welcome during my time. Thank you to the fans for the constant support.
“I will definitely miss Sheffield, but am excited for a new adventure!”
Celtic ‘moving closer’ to Luke McCowan deal
Luke Shanley also reported live on Sky Sports News that Celtic are edging closer to getting a Luke McCowan transfer from Dundee completed.
[Link]Arne Engels arrives at Celtic Park
Sky Sports News journalist Luke Shanley is at Celtic Park and reports Engels has just arrived at the stadium to finalise his signing before the 11pm deadline.
[Link]Auston Trusty will wear number 6
Celtic’s new American defender will wear the number 6 shirt, following in the footsteps of Murdo MacLeod, Peter Grant, Bobo Balde and eh… Nathaniel Phillips.
Ben Doak on the move
If you like tracking where former Celtic players end up then know that youngster Ben Doak has completed a medical to sign for Middlesbrough on a season-long loan from Liverpool, according to Sky Sports.
He was linked with a potential move back to the Bhoys earlier in the summer but nothing transpired from initial interest.
[Link]Andy Irving to stay at West Ham
Earlier, it was reported that Celtic had explored the option of signing Scottish midfielder Andy Irving on loan from West Ham United.
However, Roshane Thomas of The Athletic is reporting that – despite plenty of offers from various clubs – Irving has decided to fight for his place in the Hammers squad.
[Link]Chris Sutton’s parting shot
Chris Sutton and Todd Cantwell are like Batman and the Joker. They can’t seem to escape each other despite no love lost between the pair.
Cantwell has left Rangers and signed for another of Sutton’s former clubs after his Norwich City spell – Blackburn Rovers – and the former Celtic striker weighed in with an amusing dig on social media. Goodbye TikTok Todd!
Jota finalises move to Rennes
I didn’t have to wait long to get the answer to my earlier question.
Celtic icon Jota has returned to European football, officially signing for French club Stade Rennais on a three-year deal until 2027.
Augsburg sign Arne Engels replacement
German side Augsburg have announced the signing of Nigerian international midfielder Frank Onyeka from Brentford on a season-long loan.
The pieces are coming together for Arne Engels’ imminent arrival at Celtic.
[Link]Where will Jota end up?
Former Celtic hero Jota is expected to leave Saudi Arabia this summer, just a year after his massive £25m move to Al-Ittihad.
Where will he go? A report from Fabrizio Romano this week indicated Stade Rennais will complete a transfer, but it’s yet to be confirmed.
The fee? Just €8m. Wages and player tax complications always meant Celtic were out of the running for his signature but that’s a bargain for the French club.
[Link]What next for Celtic?
Auston Trusty is in the door but we’re still expecting at least one more big signing tonight – Arne Engels.
The Belgian has completed a Celtic medical and his announcement can’t be too far away.
There’s still the possibility of another deal or two beyond that, as well. The Scottish champions are pursuing another midfield signing beyond Engels.
[Link]Brendan Rodgers on signing Auston Trusty
The manager is delighted to land his man, stating: “We are so pleased to sign Auston and he is a really welcome addition to our squad.
“He is a quick, strong, athletic defender with great ability and good experience and a player who has done really well to make his way to the USA national squad.
“We are really looking forward to working with Auston. I know he is really excited to be joining Celtic and looking forward to facing the challenges ahead and playing his part as we strive to bring our fans success once again.”
[Link]Auston Trusty speaks after Celtic move
The defender said: “I feel ecstatic. It’s just such an historic and amazing club, and it’s a club I’ve known about since I was a little kid. Growing up in Philadelphia, football wasn’t such a popular sport but I knew Celtic, I knew who Celtic were. It’s a dream come true to join this club and such a massive organisation.
“The manager told me to be the best that I can be, that’s off the pitch, as a teammate and everything on the pitch. He said that he believes in me and believes in everything I can do, it’s up to me and he’ll provide me with the environment where I can thrive.”
[Link]
Auston Trusty confirmed
Celtic have officially announced the signing of Auston Trusty on a five-year deal until the summer of 2029.
It’s widely reported the Bhoys have paid a fee of around £6m for his services.
No major Celtic exits expected
We had to witness the sad departure of Matt O’Riley to Brighton but it appears Celtic will come through the transfer window without a raft of damaging transfer outgoings.
Kyogo Furuhashi, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Reo Hatate have all attracted interest from clubs in England and around Europe throughout the summer but there’s been nothing on any of them leaving the club late in this window.
That’s very welcome. One major exit can be absorbed but nobody wanted to see a collection of Celtic’s best players walk out the door ahead of an exciting Champions League campaign.
[Link]Dundee reject another Hibs Luke McCowan bid
It’s being reported by The Daily Record that Dundee have rejected the latest bid from Hibernian for Luke McCowan – it was worth around £800,000.
Celtic are reported to be keen on concluding a deal for the midfield talent before the 11pm deadline.
[Link]Celtic transfer recap
‘No more business’ is a phrase that strikes fear into the hearts of many football fans but we shouldn’t be hearing that early doors from Celtic.
To recap:
Arne Engels is on the brink of being announced as the club’s record signing after completing a medical.
Auston Trusty is also in the building ahead of an unveiling, joining from Sheffield United.
Celtic are pursuing a second midfielder beyond Engels with Luke McCowan currently looking to be the most likely arrival.
[Link]Odsonne Edouard latest
Celtic were (briefly) linked with a move for Odsonne Edouard earlier this week by local London media but that doesn’t look like happening – and never really did.
However, the Frenchman could be on the move with Sky Sports News reporting tonight that Leicester City are looking at a potential transfer for the Crystal Palace player.
It’d be interesting to see how the former Bhoys star does in new surroundings after losing his way at the Eagles.
[Link]Alex Valle media conference
Get to know the new left-back signing a bit better as he faced the media after Celtic’s Champions League draw on Thursday evening.
Dundee sourcing McCowan replacement
The Dens Park side are reported to be keen on Charlton’s Scott Fraser to replace Luke McCowan.
The fact they are pursuing an alternative option is a surefire sign that McCowan is on the move – but where will he land? Celtic or Hibs?
[Link]The Maik Nawrocki situation
Maik Nawrocki has failed to make the desired impact since joining from Legia last summer.
With Auston Trusty on the verge of coming into the club his playing time will be even more limited.
Reports indicate there are options for him to leave tonight so we could see movement before the deadline, which may well be the best thing for all parties – similar to Gustaf Lagerbielke and Yuki Kobayashi, who both left earlier this week.
[Link]Celtic pursued Mahamadou Diawara
If you missed this news earlier, there was an intriguing update from France overnight with Celtic reported to have had a loan-to-buy bid rejected for Lyon talent Mahamadou Diawara.
That failed attempt may be why we’re seeing the Bhoys pursue the midfielders they are today.
[Link]
Celtic’s summer transfer spend so far
Viljami Sinisalo – £1m
Kasper Schmeichel – Free
Paulo Bernardo – £3.4m
Adam Idah – £8.5m
Alex Valle – Loan
With Arne Engels reported to be an £11m purchase and Auston Trusty coming in for £6m, Celtic could end up spending the guts of £30m this summer.
Obviously, a lot has come in from the other direction, not least Matt O’Riley’s £25m sale to Brighton, but if the deals we think will go through end up happening then there’s been a decent investment in Brendan Rodgers’ options, who might finally be getting the quality he’s been craving since returning to Celtic.
[Link]Brendan Rodgers media conference
You can watch the entirety of Brendan Rodgers’ media conference below.
He covered, amongst other topics:
– Cameron Carter-Vickers’ fitness (he’s not injured!)
– The transfer business to be concluded tonight
– Thursday’s exciting Champions League draw
New Celtic signings could make quick debut
Brendan Rodgers wouldn’t be drawn on the names linked to Celtic in a press conference earlier but did suggest whoever signs could be involved for a debut against Rangers on Sunday.
The Bhoys boss said: “Yeah, they could be, yeah. A number of the players we’ve been looking at have been playing and are up to speed.
“We always do an MOT on the players coming in just to see where they’re at anyway but most of the players we’re looking at will be in a good place.”
[Link]Arne Engels call up
Earlier on Friday it was confirmed that the incoming Arne Engels had been called up to Belgium’s latest international squad for matches against Israel and France.
Engels was involved with his country’s senior squad back in June but was not included in the final group to play at Euro 2024.
It’s a sign of the potential that the midfielder has. Belgium are an elite outfit and have extensive options in that area of the park.
Celtic are getting a good one here.
[Link]Alvyn Sanches to Celtic now looking ‘unlikely’
If you’re wondering where Lausanne’s Alvyn Sanches fits into all this Celtic transfer activity well, he doesn’t.
Reports last night indicated that while Celtic were in talks for his signature there was no progress on an eventual deal.
Hibernian make fourth Luke McCowan bid
Hibs are the other team to have most consistently been linked with McCowan this summer and they are said by the Dundee Courier to have tabled a fourth bid for his signature.
Dundee booted out their previous offer of £750,000 and are reported to still be considering the latest advance.
If Celtic truly want the 26-year-old you’d imagine it’d be straightforward to outgun the Easter Road side.
[Link]Tomoki Iwata close to exit
Tomoki Iwata is in England this evening undergoing a medical ahead of a potential move to Chris Davies’ Birmingham City.
It’s unclear whether Brendan Rodgers’ former assistant is pursuing a loan move or a permanent transfer but it looks close, either way.
Iwata’s game time has been limited at Celtic and the arrival of Arne Engels, as well as a second midfielder, will push him further down the pecking order.
[Link]Celtic enquired about Andy Irving
Sky Sports reported on Friday that Celtic had explored a potential loan move for West Ham midfielder Andy Irving.
However, the Hammers want to keep the former Hearts man and it appears Celtic have moved on to try and sign Luke McCowan.
There are still five hours of the window remaining so things can change quickly and it’s a name to keep an eye on.
[Link]Mikey Johnston ‘buzzing’ to join West Brom
Winger Mikey Johnston is no longer a Celtic player, joining West Brom permanently earlier on Friday.
It’s understood the Bhoys have received a fee in the region of £3m for his signature. The Republic of Ireland international has put pen to paper on a four-year deal.
He said: “I’m really happy to be here. Driving down the M6 last night I couldn’t stop smiling and I’m buzzing to be here.
“From day one here I got off to a really good start, the fans took to me, and I took to them right away. I felt the love the full time I was here last year and I’m just buzzing to be back.”
[Link]Auston Trusty on his way
Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder earlier confirmed that Trusty is on the brink of a Celtic move, stating in a press conference: “I believe Trusty’s undergoing a medical and final bits to Celtic. I believe the Trusty one was last night going in this morning so that’ll be announced pretty quickly.”
Reports indicate that the Scottish champions will pay a fee of around £6m for the central defender, who will immediately compete for a starting spot in Rodgers’ team.
[Link]Celtic launch bid for Luke McCowan
BBC Sport have reported that Celtic have made their move for Dundee midfield talent Luke McCowan with an official bid.
The Bhoys are said to be hopeful the deal will go through before 11pm.
McCowan scored ten goals in the Scottish Premiership last year and could become a useful squad depth option with a heavy Celtic schedule ahead.
[Link]
Arne Engels latest
Celtic have been pursuing Arne Engels all week and the transfer is finally coming to a conclusion.
Latest reports indicate the Belgian star has completed his medical, with the finishing touches being put to an £11m move from Bundesliga outfit Augsburg.
It’ll be a record arrival for the club and a step forward in transfer policy.
[Link]Hello and welcome
Celtic fans have been craving sustained transfer activity all summer and tonight shouldn’t disappoint.
Arne Engels, Auston Trusty and Luke McCowan are all potential arrivals while others such as Tomoki Iwata and Maik Nawrocki could be heading in the other direction.
I have the coffee on and an array of media sources in front of me so you won’t miss anything throughout the night!
[Link]Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
