Celtic are said to be taking steps towards landing a new goalkeeper as they look to replace Kasper Schmeichel this summer, The Bhoys have plenty of positions of need, and they are yet to address any of them, but it now looks as though they will step up their bid to land a new keeper.
Schmeichel proved a more than useful signing, with Celtic having similar success with Joe Hart a few years ago. With Schmeichel retiring, the question was whether the Bhoys would try to sign another veteran keeper on the cheap, or whether they would look to recruit a young keeper on a significant fee.
The latest reports claim it will be the latter.
Celtic step up Horkas chase
Earlier this week, Celtic were linked with a move for Las Palmas keeper Dinko Horkas, who impressed in the second tier of Spanish football last season. Horkas helped the Canaries side reach the semi-finals of the play-offs, where they lost to eventual winners Malaga over two tight legs.
The 27-year-old is under contract until 2028, and according to La Provincia, Las Palmas want as much as 10million euros to sell this summer. That comes after the club's president hit out at unnamed clubs over allegedly tapping up his goalkeeper.
But according to the same report, Celtic 'seem to have taken the step towards finalising the deal', chasing a 7million euro deal, which works out at a touch over £6million.
Interestingly, that's the same fee Rangers just committed to sign a goalkeeper from Hull City.
The Bhoys do have Viljami Sinisalo to call upon, with the goalkeeper having deputised for Schmeichel during his injury issues last season, but it doesn't appear O'Neill sees him as a number one.
The likelihood is that Sinisolo will remain the number two, and a new number one will be brought in. These reports suggest Horkas is the number one target, but we have also seen Tjark Ernst of Hertha Berlin and free agent Mat Ryan linked with a move to Paradise.
A £6million investment would be a big one for a goalkeeper, and it would actually be a Celtic club-record for a goalkeeper signing. The most the Hoops have paid for a goalkeeper is the £4.5million they paid to sign Vasilios Barkas from AEK Athens back in 2020.
Although Barkas went on to make only 16 league appearances for Celtic, ultimately leaving for Utrecht in the Netherlands, where he has found his home.
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