Celtic Leads Race for Fares Ghedjemis as Rangers Wait

The new Scottish Premiership season is barely under way, but the first Old Firm battle already has a clear frontrunner – at least in the mind of Fares Ghedjemis.

The Algeria international, long courted by both Celtic and Rangers, is now understood to favour a move to the green-and-white half of Glasgow, with fresh talks over his future scheduled within the next 48 hours.

Celtic edge ahead in tug of war

Celtic’s interest in Ghedjemis is nothing new. They had a €6m bid accepted by Frosinone in January, only for the 23-year-old to turn down the move and stay in Italy to complete the job he had started. Promotion to Serie A followed, vindicating his decision and instantly changing the landscape of any future deal.

Now, according to Celts Are Here, Ghedjemis has shifted his stance. He is open to joining Celtic and, crucially, would prefer Parkhead over Ibrox if he leaves Frosinone this summer.

That preference hands Celtic a vital psychological edge in a race that has quickly become one of the defining transfer stories of the window in Scotland. It does not, however, guarantee anything.

Frosinone, emboldened by promotion and the lure of Serie A football, have raised their asking price. They believe the chance to face Italy’s elite should be enough to persuade the winger to stay put. If he is to be prised away, it will not be cheap.

Rangers pay up, but wait

On the other side of the city, Rangers have been moving with their usual aggression in the market. Eight new arrivals have already walked through the door for Derek McInnes, but the opening-day draw with Dundee United underlined how long it might take for this new-look side to click.

Rangers have already shown their hand on Ghedjemis. They have outbid Celtic with an £8m offer, only to see it knocked back. The message from Frosinone is clear: if you want one of our best players, you will have to go higher.

So the dynamic is stark. Celtic have the player’s preference. Rangers have, so far, put more money on the table.

McInnes, still smarting from losing last season’s title to Martin O’Neill and Celtic on the final day, knows exactly what a statement it would be to win this particular fight. But he also knows Frosinone hold the cards.

Old Firm collide off the pitch

Both Glasgow giants have started the campaign with questions hanging over them. Celtic, despite a 1-0 win against Dundee, looked far from convincing. Rangers, held by Dundee United, dropped early points that McInnes could scarcely afford.

So attention swings to recruitment. Celtic, after a sluggish start to their summer business, have finally begun to move with the arrivals of Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh and Camilo Duran. The exodus from Parkhead, though, has been significant. More bodies are needed, more quality too.

Ghedjemis fits the profile: young, international, proven in a promotion-winning campaign and operating in a position where both clubs crave extra spark.

Rangers, for their part, may be further down the road in terms of volume, but not yet in cohesion. An eye-catching attacking signing would help bridge that gap and send a message across the city.

Decision time for Frosinone – and for Glasgow

The next 48 hours promise clarity. Frosinone are set to hold new talks over Ghedjemis as interest in the winger grows beyond Scotland. Clubs from France, Spain and Italy are also tracking him, adding another layer of tension to an already fraught pursuit.

Celtic’s advantage is emotional: the player’s preference. Rangers’ advantage is financial: a demonstrated willingness to go higher on the fee.

Somewhere between those two positions lies the number that might make Frosinone blink. The Italian club are in no mood to lose a key performer just as they return to the top flight, but every player has a price, and every promotion-winning side eventually faces hard choices.

For Celtic and Rangers, this is about more than one transfer. It is about momentum, about who lands the first real blow of a season that already feels like another long, bitter duel.

If Ghedjemis does choose Glasgow, and if Frosinone finally relent, which side of the city will he light up?