Celtic are growing this season. Although they recently suffered an embarrassing defeat in the recent Old Firm derby, they are still comfortably ahead in the race for Scottish Premiership title.
The Hoops also added to their trophy case by winning the League Cup and are making strong progress in the Champions Leaguelosing just one of their six league games and securing memorable wins against RB Leipzig and Slovan Bratislava, leaving them in the play-off spot.
Despite the fact that there seems to be no immediate need for Brendan Rodgers In order to strengthen their squad in the second half of the season, Celtic are reportedly interested in a number of players.
Connected
Among those linked with a move to Parkhead are Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen, Carney Chukwuemeka of Chelseaand Ajax starlet Benjamin Tahirović.
Kieran Tierney is also tipped to make a sensational comeback to his boyhood club, five years after he left for Arsenal.
As is generally always the case at any football club, arrivals mean there will inevitably be departures. Here we have put together a list of players who could realistically leave Celtic this month to make way for potential new signings.
1
Luis Palma
Linked to: Olympiacos
Luis Palma arrived at Celtic Park in August 2023 for a fee of £3.5m and enjoyed a solid first season with the Hoops, scoring six goals and providing nine assists in 24 Scottish Premiership games.
However, the Honduran winger had a hard time getting minutes this season, as he only started once in the first division.
According to La Prensaaccording to Sport Witness, Palma could seal his departure from Scotland in January, with Greece’s Olympiacos and two unnamed MLS teams interested in his services.
Palma’s father, Enrique, also recently opened the door to a potential move away from Celtic for his son, saying Dnevnik Diez in October: “He’ll be at Celtic at the moment and focus on the rest of the year and maybe there will be a sale, but what happens with him will depend on his performance.”
2
Odin Thiago Holm
Associated with: LAFC
Palma is not the only Celtic star being linked with a move to MLS.
According to Daily Mail reporter Stephen McGowan, Los Angeles FC are close to securing a loan deal for Odin midfielder Thiago Holmwho has only played 24 minutes of football for Rodgers’ team this season.
McGowan claims that LAFC initially wanted to sign Palma, but after they failed to secure a deal, they were offered Holm. Having recently lost two midfielders on loan, they decided to accept.
The MLS transfer window has been open for much longer than European leagues, and clubs often have until the end of April to complete their work.
3
Daniel Cummings
Linked with: Bologna, Club Brugge, RB Salzburg
Striker Daniel Cummings is one of Celtic’s most promising young talents.
Cummings, 18, has scored 24 goals in 24 games for Celtic B this season, including 18 in 17 appearances in the lower league – a figure that makes him top scorer of the division. Earlier this year, Young teamwho is scouting Scotland’s next top stars, described Cummings as “too good for the Lowland League” and praised him for his “great runs” and “spectacular kicking”.
However, according to Scottish journalist Anthony Joseph, the Hoops could soon lose him, with a report in December stating that Bologna, Club Brugge and RB Salzburg they all sent officials to keep an eye on the striker in action in recent weeks ahead of a potential move.
Joseph reported that a number of English Premier League clubs are also monitoring the teenager, whose contract at Celtic expires at the end of the season.
4
Stephen Welsh
Associated with: KV Mechelen
Defender Stephen Welsh has struggled for regular time at Celtic this season, managing just one start in the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup – and Rodgers now appears ready to let him go.
According to a recent report in the Daily Record, Welsh, who is under contract with Celtic until the summer of 2027. chased by Belgian KV Mechelenwho have already made several offers.
The Hoops are now “ready” to approve a loan move for the 24-year-old to play regular football, the publication claims.
Whether Welsh will go to Belgium remains to be seen. After signing a new contract with Celtic in 2023, the defender, who came through the club’s academy, said he wants to be at Parkhead until “at least four more years I hope”.
5
Alexandre Bernabei
Related to: International
Alexandre Bernabei it never managed to cement itself at Celtic following a £3.75m move from Argentinian Lanus in 2022, but has impressed since moving to Internacional on loan in March 2024.
Since the move, the 24-year-old has made 25 appearances for Brazil, scoring three goals and providing five assists.
The president of Internacional, Alessandro Barcellos, recently confirmed in the past few weeks that negotiations are now underway make Bernabei’s move permanentwith Globo Esporte report previously Celtic even lowered their asking price for him 8 million pounds to £4.1 million to facilitate one.
But the Hoops will apparently seek a percentage of any future sales instead, claim Globo Esporte.
Bernabei himself is loving life at Inter and recently said he hopes his good form will see him back for the club called up to the Argentina national team for the first time in the near future.
“We are an incredible team – World Cup holders and Copa America champions – so of course I know it will be incredibly difficult for me to be called up to the national team,” he said. “But nobody’s telling me I can’t aim for that. I’m certainly hoping with my recent form that it’ll be my turn soon.”
He added: “Here in Brazil I play about every three days and it’s a real challenge and very demanding. But I’m very happy with my form.”
