Celtic hoping to strike cut-price deal for ‘top-class’ Udinese and Hamburg target

Celtic have attacked the summer transfer window with purpose after Martin O’Neill guided them to a dramatic league and Scottish Cup double.

The manager inherited a winning squad, but several important departures meant standing still was never an option.

Daizen Maeda’s £10 million move to Ipswich removed star quality and a major source of goals from the forward line, but Celtic responded by breaking their transfer record for Kasper Høgh, paying £11 million plus add-ons to bring the Denmark striker in from Bodo/Glimt.

Colombian forward Camilo Durán also arrived from Qarabag for around £6 million, giving O’Neill yet another attacker with Champions League experience.

The rebuild continued with Egypt winger Haissem Hassan, whose initial £6 million fee could eventually go up to £9 million.

German midfielder Mika Baur then became the fourth senior arrival after helping Paderborn win promotion to the Bundesliga, and his move became particularly important once Arne Engels completed a £22 million switch to West Ham, leaving Celtic with another major role to fill.

O’Neill has refreshed the spine of his squad while adding greater variety in attack.

Høgh made an instant impression with a hat trick at Kilmarnock, while Durán opened his competitive account against Dundee United.

However, the goalkeeping department remains unfinished following Kasper Schmeichel’s injury-forced retirement.

Viljami Sinisalo has started the season as number one and kept clean sheets against Dundee and Dundee United, but Ross Doohan is the only other senior goalkeeper available.

Celtic need proper competition, and O’Neill has stressed the importance of quality this summer, and another credible starting goalkeeper would bring his squad closer to where it needs to be.

That final piece of the rebuild may now be moving closer, with reports this week suggesting Celtic are advancing in talks for ‘top-class‘ Blackburn Rovers number one Balazs Toth.

Celtic looking to strike cut-price deal for Balasz Toth

REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

Football Insider now reports that Celtic have submitted an offer for Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balázs Tóth, who wants to complete a move to Parkhead.

The bid has not been disclosed, but reports elsewhere place Blackburn’s asking price near £3.5million, with possible add-ons taking the package close to £4 million.

Despite this valuation, Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke also claims that Celtic are also looking to seal a ‘cut-price’ deal for Toth, despite rival interest from Udinese and Hamburg.

Tóth is in the final year of his contract and has rejected fresh terms, so this is a distinct possibility for O’Neill’s side, with Rovers manager Tony Mowbray already acknowledging that the Hungary international is likely to leave.

Tóth joined Blackburn from Fehérvár in 2024 and established himself as first choice last season, making 35 appearances across all competitions.

His teammates named him their Players’ Player of the Year, underlining his importance inside the dressing room, and the 28-year-old’s proven experience in England makes him a serious challenger to Sinisalo.

His arrival would give O’Neill greater security during a demanding domestic and European schedule.

Tóth cannot be registered for the Champions League playoff against LASK because the deadline has passed, but that should not stop talks continuing.