Celtic are reportedly closing in on Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Balazs Toth, with talks over a move to Glasgow "at an advanced stage". The 27-year-old Hungary international is valued at around £4 million and is seen as competition for Viljami Sinisalo.
Toth deal near completion
Toth played the full 90 minutes in Blackburn's Championship opener against Wolves on Friday night, but manager Tony Mowbray has since urged the club to cash in on the player as his contract runs down. Hungarian outlet Nemzeti Sport report that a package worth around £4 million has been agreed, though a "question" remains over whether Champions League qualification could impact the deal. As it stands, it "could be concluded this week."
Midfield pursuit heats up
Celtic are also in the market for a midfielder following the £22 million departure of Arne Engels to West Ham. Torino president Urbano Cairo has conceded the club will sell some key stars, with Celtic keen on Lithuanian international Gvidas Gineitis. Talks over a switch to RB Salzburg have reportedly stalled, with Torino demanding at least £16 million for Gineitis and teammate Alieu Njie. La Stampa report that Celtic are now "pushing hard" to get a deal over the line.
Cairo told Gazzetta dello Sport: "There's a lot of interest in our players. We can't just ignore calls; we have to listen, and we are listening. At the moment, we've rejected all offers made to us. I've said no to everyone. That's what's happened so far, and that's what I'd like to continue until the end of the transfer window. We still have a few things to do in the market, including some departures."
The Glasgow giants are ramping up their business ahead of the crucial Champions League playoff against LASK next week, having already completed big-money deals for Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan last week. While new faces are unlikely before Thursday's first leg, behind-the-scenes work continues.
