Celtic may be struggling with one squad member in particular, as Arne Engels is reported by Record Sport to be unhappy that Nottingham Forest's three bids for him were rejected. He is said to think they were all "fair" offers for his services.
Nottingham Forest is allegedly ready to make a fourth bid before the window shuts. Celtic will have an extra few hours to find themselves a replacement should they accept the offer, but it's hard to deny that it may be too late to bring in the required quality.
Any offer made by Forest may be close to the fee paid for Matt O'Riley by Brighton, which was around £30 million. Their third bid already matched the money paid for players like Kieran Tierney and Jota, so a fourth may be too hard to resist.
Celtic preparing replacement
Celtic are reportedly interested in making a move for Brondby midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic. According to Record Sport, Celtic renewed their interest in the player today, and initial talks have taken place today.
Tahirovic is a 22-year-old defensive midfielder and is a Bosnia and Herzegovina international. He started out at Vasalunds in Sweden, before playing his football at Roma, Ajax and now Brondby.
This doesn't bode well for Hoops fans who wanted to keep Engels, as this signals that if another offer were to come in, Celtic would accept. £25 million was already a lot of money to turn down, and if Sean Dyche really wants his man, another would essentially be impossible for the club to deny.
With Engels unhappy at the situation, it could affect squad cohesion if Martin O'Neill were to force him to stay at Parkhead. With such an important time in the season coming up, we really need everyone to be on the same page.
Celtic may well have just been holding out for more money. It's clear that Forest are willing to spend, with them picking up winger Dilane Bakwa in the summer for €35 million. The board may see potential for this deal to rise to £30 million, and if they do come back, then a lot of people wouldn't be surprised if their fourth approach were to be accepted.
Celtic have now confirmed the loan move of Junior Adamu, who has joined Celtic until the end of the season. They are also working to finalise the loan of 20-year-old centre-back Benjamin Arthur from Brentford. The permanent signing of Joel Mvuka is also expected to be announced soon.
Interest in another Celtic starter, Austin Trusty, remains, with Crystal Palace taking a look at the American. It is reported that Celtic would want a large fee for the defender to move this late in the window.