Celtic will be aiming to add to their attacking ranks for manager Martin O’Neill before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
The Hoops scored 73 goals in the Scottish Premiership to win the title last season, 39 fewer than the 112 that they scored under Brendan Rodgers in the 2024/25 campaign.
None of O’Neill’s players hit double figures for both goals and assists, with no player recording more than eight assists, and the Northern Irish boss should be looking for new signings who can provide a dual threat in the final third.
The Scottish giants need to find another star like attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley, who racked up a staggering return of 18 goals and 13 assists for Rogers in the Premiership in the 2023/24 campaign.
His unbelievable form for the club at the top end of the pitch convinced Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion to splash a record £25m fee on his services in the summer of 2024.
Celtic are closing in on deal to sign £3m forward
He was able to offer a constant threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from an attacking midfield position, which made him such a valuable player in the squad as he could make things happen in a variety of ways.
Now, the Premiership champions are aiming to sign a player who would arrive at Parkhead with similar qualites to offer O’Neill and the squad next season.
According to journalist George Tsarouchas, Celtic are closing in on the signing of Qarabag centre-forward Camilo Duran in the summer transfer window.
The reporter claims that the club are ‘really close’ to agreeing a deal with the Azerbaijani outfit to bring the Colombian marksman to Parkhead in the coming weeks.
He adds that the player’s agent arrived in Glasgow on Saturday to advance in talks over personal terms for the star, which will need to be agreed before a deal can proceed.
It was previously claimed that Qarabag are looking for a fee in the region of £3m for the 24-year-old striker, and it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are now prepared to pay that amount.
How Camilo Duran can be Celtic’s next Matt O’Riley
Duran typically plays a centre-forward or as a right winger and is not an attacking or central midfielder like O’Riley, but he could offer similar qualities with his ability to score and create goals.
The Denmark international was such a huge threat for the Scottish giants because he had the ability to score and create goals on a regular basis, hitting double figures for both goals and assists in his final season in Glasgow.
Duran’s performances for Qarabag in all competitions across the 2025/26 campaign suggest that he has the potential to be an O’Riley-esque figure for the club at the top end of the pitch.
|
All competitions |
O’Riley (23/24) |
Duran (25/26) |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
49 |
48 |
|
Goals |
19 |
15 |
|
Goals per game |
0.39 |
0.31 |
|
Assists |
18 |
10 |
|
Assists per game |
0.36 |
0.21 |
Whilst his return was not quite as hefty as O’Riley’s was in the 2023/24 campaign for Celtic, he was not playing in a team that is as dominant as Rodgers’ Hoops side were.
Qarabag finished second and scored 73 goals in the league in the 2025/26 season, whilst Celtic won the league and scored 95 goals when they had the Dane in midfield.
The Colombian attacker could provide even more goals and assists in a team that has more possession and more attacks for him to showcase his talent in the final third, after he scored nine goals and provided nine assists in the league last term.
His form in the Champions League also suggests that the quality is there for him to make the jump from Qarabag to the Premiership, as he scored five goals in ten matches in Europe’s premier cup competition.
He scored goals against Benfica, Ajax, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Newcastle United, which shows that he has the goalscoring pedigree to make an impact against top level opposition, suggesting that he would have few issues adapting to Scottish football.
Duran, therefore, could be the player that the Hoops have been looking for since they sold O’Riley to Brighton, even if he is not an attacking midfielder, as he has the potential to hit double figures for both goals and assists in the league.
Hopefully, they will reach an agreement on personal terms with the player and agree a fee with Qarabag to bring the forward to Parkhead ahead of next season.
