Celtic are targeting a dream finish to the summer transfer window, with moves for Haissem Hassan and Fares Ghedjemis potentially costing £17m combined, while Alistair Johnston is set to stay despite Premier League interest.
£17m Duo in Sight
Celtic's main transfer target is Real Oviedo's Haissem Hassan. The Egyptian winger impressed at the World Cup, assisting once and running the show for a period against Argentina. Oviedo-based newspaper La Nueva Espana claims that Celtic are pushing forward for the 24-year-old with a move to Parkhead now extremely likely. Sky Sports reports that an initial bid of £6m has been submitted and it could rise to around £9m if all bonuses are met.
Frosinone's Fares Ghedjemis is the other star Celtic are interested in, although they may have to compete with bitter rivals Rangers for the 23-year-old. The Hoops had been keen on the Algeria international in January but were unable to get a deal over the line. Now, they have reignited this interest and Frosinone reportedly want at least £8m for his signature. It is understood that the Italian outfit rejected a bid of a similar price from the Gers, who have since moved on to target Celta Vigo winger Couhaib Driouech.
Celtic could now swoop in and stump up the cash for Ghedjemis. This would represent a dreamy £17m outlay for both players, but fans would see this as a reasonable price to pay ahead of their Champions League qualifying match-up with LASK.
World Cup Star Stays Put
Alistair Johnston has been attracting considerable interest following his impressive performances for Canada at the World Cup. He started every game for the host nation and reached the round of 16, where he was eliminated 3-0 by Morocco. Throughout his Celtic career, the right-back has 21 goal contributions and is beloved by the fanbase for his tough-tackling and positive attitude. Yet Everton have registered an interest in the 27-year-old, with O'Neill confirming that manager David Moyes contacted him regarding Johnston.
He said: "In fairness, David Moyes did call me last week and say that there would be contact. But I don't know how far that has progressed, if it has at all. But yeah, that would be disappointing obviously. But I suppose it's to be expected, you know, players who have done well. Our job is to try and do our best to keep them. If that's not possible, naturally, we'll have to try and get replacements in. To replace those players would be a difficult task."
It seems like O'Neill has kept to his word for the time being as the Toffees' interest in the right-back has cooled off. The Daily Record has confirmed that the Premier League side are working on other options after failing to meet Celtic's £15m asking price. If the club want to end the window in style, keeping Johnston is a must.
Defensive Reinforcements Arrive
Should Celtic retain Johnston, they may opt to add to their defensive line with another loan move for Brentford's Benjamin Arthur. The 20-year-old arrived at Parkhead last season under the same circumstances, spending the second half of the campaign in Glasgow. Reports claim that the Hoops have already seen a bid rejected, with Arthur part of the Bees' long-term plans. The defender only made four appearances in the 2025/26 season, but this was clearly enough to impress O'Neill.
A loan move could be beneficial for all parties, giving Arthur some European experience and allowing Celtic's defensive line to relax knowing they have back-up waiting in the wings.
