Celtic are poised to initiate negotiations with Boca Juniors to secure a permanent transfer for Marcelo Saracchi, with the Uruguayan left-back expected to become Martin O'Neill's inaugural acquisition of the summer window. According to Record Sport, the Hoops have already conducted preliminary discussions with Saracchi's representatives, and Parkhead officials are now prepared to finalise a deal that could see the 28-year-old return to Glasgow.
Saracchi's Situation at Boca Juniors
Saracchi has been informed by new Boca Juniors head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena that he does not feature in his plans for the upcoming season. The South American club is eager to offload the defender to free up a foreign player slot in their squad. Boca is willing to accept a fee in the region of £2 million, as previously reported by Record Sport. Saracchi has attracted interest from Major League Soccer and Turkish clubs, but his preference is to return to Celtic Park, provided he receives assurances from O'Neill regarding a significant role within the team.
Saracchi's Previous Loan Spell at Celtic
During his season-long loan at Celtic, Saracchi made 27 appearances, though only 10 were starts. A hamstring injury sidelined him for a portion of the campaign, but he made a notable impact from the bench, including a game-changing moment in the title-deciding match against Hearts. The former RB Leipzig and Galatasaray player became a fan favourite and is now poised to be the first piece of O'Neill's summer transfer puzzle.
Celtic's Squad Changes and Needs
Celtic's non-international players are due to report back to Lennoxtown this Friday, but the Double-winners are currently a dozen players lighter than last season. Key departures include Kasper Schmeichel (retirement), Stephen Welsh (Swansea City), and Luis Palma (permanent move to Lech Poznan). FC Tokyo is expected to convert Hayato Inamura's loan into a permanent deal worth around £1.2 million. Six loanees, including Saracchi, Tomas Cvancara, and Benjamin Arthur, have returned to their parent clubs. Out-of-contract duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are awaiting decisions on potential extensions.
O'Neill's Transfer Priorities
Veteran manager Martin O'Neill is keen to accelerate incomings, targeting a new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-half, midfielders, wingers, and at least two strikers. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest is reportedly set to renew their interest in £25 million-rated midfielder Arne Engels as a replacement for Elliot Anderson, who is heading to Manchester City. Celtic also anticipate interest in World Cup participants Daizen Maeda, Benjamin Nygren, and Alistair Johnston.
