NafisaCeltic’s search for attacking reinforcements appears to be entering its decisive phase, with developments behind the scenes suggesting the Scottish champions are now edging closer to one of their biggest transfer breakthroughs of the summer.
With Daizen Maeda expected to complete his departure in the coming days, attention has rapidly shifted towards who will lead Martin O’Neill’s attack next season. A number of names have been linked with the Parkhead club in recent weeks, but one target now appears to have moved firmly to the front of the queue.
Talks have been progressing quietly, and the latest reports indicate Celtic are now extremely confident of getting the deal across the line before the transfer window reaches its crucial stages.
According to reports from Denmark, Celtic are now pushing to finalise the signing of Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh after positive discussions with both the player and his current club.
The Scottish champions were interested in Hogh during the January transfer window, but Bodo/Glimt’s impressive Champions League campaign dramatically increased his valuation and forced Celtic to look elsewhere.
That situation has now changed.
Reports claim fresh negotiations have accelerated in recent days, with the player understood to be keen on making the move to Glasgow. Personal terms are believed to no longer represent a significant obstacle, leaving the clubs to iron out the remaining details before a full agreement can be reached.
Another major clue emerged at the weekend when Hogh surprisingly started on the bench during Bodo/Glimt’s league victory over HamKam despite being the club’s leading scorer.
Instead, Andreas Helmersen led the attack.
Officially, manager Kjetil Knutsen insisted the decision was simply to rest the striker.
However, reports in Norway suggest there is much more to the story, with Hogh pushing for the opportunity to join Celtic this summer as negotiations continue behind the scenes.
The 25-year-old has developed into one of Scandinavian football’s most dangerous centre-forwards over the past two seasons, combining physical presence with intelligent movement inside the penalty area.
His consistent goalscoring record has attracted interest from several clubs across Europe, but Celtic now appear to have positioned themselves at the front of the race.
The urgency surrounding the move has only increased because of Maeda’s expected exit.
Replacing the Japanese international’s goals and relentless work rate will not be straightforward, making the arrival of an established finisher one of Celtic’s biggest priorities before the new campaign begins.
If negotiations continue at their current pace, Hogh could become one of the marquee additions to O’Neill’s squad ahead of another season in the Premiership and European competition.
While nothing has been officially completed yet, all indications suggest Celtic are now significantly closer than ever to securing the Danish striker, with optimism growing that the deal can be wrapped up in the coming days.
Nafisa
