Celtic working on deal to seal their best signing since Nygren at Parkhead

An enigma. That would arguably be the best word to describe Celtic‘s leading scorer this season, Benjamin Nygren.

Take the win away at Motherwell earlier this month, for instance, the Swede having been so ineffectual for much of the proceedings, looking destined for an early withdrawal in the second half.

And yet, as ever, up he stepped to make the difference, rifling home an outrageous, dipping effort on the hour mark, leaving opposition ‘keeper, Calum Ward, rooted to the spot.

The 24-year-old may split opinion, but you can’t argue with a return of 16 Premiership goals, and 21 in all competitions, not bad for a player who cost just £1.7m last summer.

That is the type of deal that the champions will be seeking to replicate this time around.

Celtic readying offer to sign 23-year-old star

It’s been a fast start to the window for Hearts and Rangers, yet it never appears to be straightforward at Parkhead, with 2025/26 having been such an errant season of recruitment for the Hoops.

The fact that there has yet to be any confirmation over the next permanent manager is also something of a concern, with that uncertainty potentially set to be a factor in a delayed start to proceedings with regard to incomings.

That being said, the search for reinforcements does appear to be going on regardless, with reports in Bosnia providing the latest on Celtic’s interest in Brondby midfielder, Benjamin Tahirovic.

The suggestion is that the Glasgow giants have already begun work on a potential deal for the 23-year-old, with a ‘big offer’ potentially in the pipeline.

The Bosnian playmaker only made the move to Denmark from Ajax in 2025, with his current side in no rush to sell as yet, not least considering his profile could be boosted by a strong World Cup this summer.

Tahirovic could prove to be Celtic’s best signing since Nygren

Nygren and Kieran Tierney aside, it’s difficult to think of too many truly successful deals for the club over the past 12 months or so, making Martin O’Neill’s double success all the more remarkable.

£5m man Michel Ange Balikwisha didn’t feature in the league again after October, Sebastian Tounekti scored just two Premiership goals all season, while even Iheanacho and young Callum Osmand had their problems with injury.

Among the January crop too, the club’s spate of loan signings all endured their own spells on the sidelines, be it due to injury or mere exile, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s debut heroics were swiftly forgotten come May.

So many misses, few too many hits on the transfer front, although Tahirovic could well be another success story, mirroring Nygren in trading Scandinavia for Scotland.

Born and raised in Nygren’s native Sweden, the Bosnia international has been hailed as a “diamond” of a player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, tipped to be a “future leader” for his country in the coming years.

Moves to the likes of Roma and Ajax didn’t exactly go to plan for the young midfielder, although that speaks to just how highly-regarded he is to have been snapped up by two of Europe’s elite, having now found his feet again back in Denmark.

While not a prolific, necessarily creative midfielder, having scored and assisted just one goal apiece in the Danish Superliga this season, he is a progressive, ball-playing asset in his deep-lying role.

Indeed, in 2024/25, for instance, he averaged an impressive 1.3 key passes per game, alongside an 85% pass accuracy rate.

For context, Callum McGregor, operating in a similar role, averaged 0.9 key passes in the Premiership this season, albeit while boasting a far superior 93% pass accuracy rate.

Looking back at his time in Amsterdam too, Tahirovic did actually end the 2023/24 campaign with six goals and assists, a pass accuracy rate of 89% and an average of 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game, showcasing that there are a number of strings to his bow.

He’s an eye-catching, towering figure at 6 foot 3, potentially the man to freshen up Celtic’s midfield with a real injection of physicality, something not exactly provided by the likes of Reo Hatate or Arne Engels at present.

Making the switch then from Scandinavia, as Nygren did a year ago, could well see Tahirovic flourish in his own right in Glasgow, with this potentially another exciting, relatively young talent who can raise the level at Parkhead.

Let’s face it, the club could do with another transfer success story after such misery in that department for so long now.