Celtic are pursuing up to four new players before the club must finalise their Europa League squad, assistant manager Shaun Maloney revealed on Tuesday ahead of the Scottish Premiership visit by Aberdeen.
The Scottish champions have already signed four first-team players during the current transfer window and remain in discussions over several targets. Maloney confirmed that recruitment remains a priority across key positions, with the club working against tight deadlines for both European and domestic registration.
Which players are Celtic targeting?
Celtic have been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, Parma midfielder Oliver Sorensen and PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joel van den Berg as potential additions. Maloney indicated that another left-back is a priority to provide competition for Scotland international Kieran Tierney, who has made a strong start to the season.
Regarding a potential move for Chelsea forward Shim Mheuka on loan, Maloney said it was "pretty difficult to talk about" prospective signings and stressed that "nothing's confirmed with anyone". He added: "Any signing in that striker area, it'll either transpire in the next 24, 48 hours, or we'll just go as we are."
What midfield changes does Celtic need?
Maloney explained that the club requires a different type of midfielder to replace the qualities that departed player Arne Engels brought to the squad.
"There's certain things that Arne brought that we need to replace and the quicker we do that, it gives us just that extra dimension, extra speed, extra power within that midfield because I think technically we've got some brilliant players. I think we just need that slightly different profile, which we need in certain games."
The assistant manager emphasised that while Celtic possess technically gifted midfielders, they need players with specific physical and tactical attributes to strengthen their options in European competition.
Could Reo Hatate leave Celtic?
Maloney acknowledged that Japan midfielder Reo Hatate, who has scored 33 goals in 191 Celtic appearances since joining in January 2022, could depart the club before the window closes.
"He's a brilliant player. What he's done at the club has been really, really good. He's won many titles here. If he does move on then he'll remember how good a player he was for this club."
According to one report from 1 September, transfer-related issues have affected squad availability, with some players unavailable for matches due to ongoing negotiations.
What are the transfer deadlines?
Celtic face two distinct deadlines in their recruitment push. The club must register their Europa League squad by 23:59 CET on 2 September, which is 10:59 pm UK time, according to UEFA regulations. Scotland's domestic transfer window then closes at 5 pm on 3 September, providing a brief additional window for domestic-only signings.
Maloney explained the urgency:
"All the guys that we'd be looking to try and bring in, with that European deadline we want to try and get them in the squad if we can. We'll be looking to strengthen that squad, particularly European squad for that deadline."
The assistant manager outlined the scale of the club's ambitions, stating:
"Some really key positions in the squad, you're looking at three or four and, if there's anymore than that, that'll be really, the thinking of the club will be for the future."
How many signings could still arrive?
While Maloney spoke of targeting three or four arrivals, one report suggests as many as eight signings could still happen before the deadline, indicating the club's determination to strengthen across multiple areas of the pitch.
Earlier in the window, Haissem Hassan completed his medical on 11 August and was close to becoming Celtic's third signing of the summer, with a deal running to 2030 and worth up to £9 million including add-ons.
Why is left-back recruitment important?
Maloney stressed the importance of finding the right profile of left-back to challenge Tierney.
"Kieran's started the season really well. You never quite sure how this season's going to go with all the World Cup guys because of such a short break. We need that back-up in that position. We need somebody to keep challenging KT. That's a position that we've really needed to fill and with the right type. We need the right profile of player in there."
The recruitment strategy reflects Celtic's need to manage squad depth while maintaining competitive standards across domestic and European competitions.
Key Facts
- Celtic have already signed four first-team players this window and are pursuing up to four more before the Europa League deadline
- The club must register their Europa League squad by 23:59 CET on 2 September (10:59 pm UK time), with Scotland's domestic window closing at 5 pm on 3 September
- Targets include goalkeepers, midfielders and a left-back to provide competition for Kieran Tierney
- Reo Hatate, who has scored 33 goals in 191 appearances, could leave before the deadline
- Celtic require midfielders with specific physical and tactical attributes to complement their existing technical quality
