Celtic and Rangers Face Crucial Summer Decisions

Celtic and Rangers are braced for a summer of hard questions and harder decisions, with both Glasgow clubs at the centre of a tightening transfer web that stretches from Scandinavia to the English Championship.

Celtic juggle arrivals, exits and a veteran at the helm

Celtic have opened talks with Brondby over Benjamin Tahirovic, the 23-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder emerging as a live option to bolster the middle of the park. Contact has been made, a clear signal that Celtic are not waiting for the market to come to them.

At the same time, interest is circling one of their own. Arne Engels, just 22, has drawn admiring glances from Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, with all three clubs stepping up their pursuit. For Celtic, that means a familiar balancing act: build around young talent, or cash in at the right moment.

Alistair Johnston sits in a similar spotlight. Former Celtic captain Jackie McNamara expects bids for the Canada right-back, now 27 and firmly established as a key figure. Johnston’s consistency and aggression have made him an obvious target for clubs hunting a modern full-back, and McNamara’s warning feels less like speculation and more like inevitability.

McNamara has also reserved special praise for Martin O'Neill, crediting the veteran manager for steering Celtic to a domestic double last season despite a campaign riddled with injuries. The achievement has not gone unnoticed inside the club either.

O'Neill, 74, has been spotted at Glasgow Airport and is expected to continue in charge next season. No fanfare, no big reveal, just the quiet confirmation that the architect of last season’s success is preparing for another run. For a squad likely to be reshaped in key areas, that continuity on the touchline could prove crucial.

One of the first pieces of that reshaping looks set to be an exit. Centre-back Stephen Welsh is closing in on a move to Swansea City after his contract expired following a loan spell at Motherwell. The 26-year-old has agreed a two-year deal, with the Championship side holding an option for a further year. It’s a clean break for a player who never quite nailed down a permanent starting role at Celtic, and a chance to reset his career in England.

Rangers plan for life after Tavernier

Across the city, Rangers are staring at a defining change of their own. James Tavernier’s era at right-back is nearing its conclusion, and the club have turned their gaze to Bryan Reynolds as a potential successor.

Rangers have shown concrete interest in the 24-year-old United States international, with Westerlo open to a sale as his contract runs into its final year. The Belgian club still want a meaningful fee, but the door is clearly open. Reynolds, who missed out on the US World Cup squad, is one of several names on Rangers’ shortlist, yet his profile fits the brief: athletic, attacking, and with resale value.

Rangers are also active in midfield. Dan Neil, leaving Sunderland, has held talks with the Ibrox club, though they face stiff competition from Hull City and Middlesbrough. Hull are weighing up a move, and Boro are interested as Championship clubs sense an opportunity to land a 24-year-old with room to grow. For Rangers, it’s a test of how persuasive their project looks against the lure and money of the English second tier.

One player they do not intend to lose is Jack Butland. The 33-year-old goalkeeper has attracted attention from Premier League clubs as a potential back-up option, a role that often comes with a healthy wage and less physical strain. Rangers, though, have no plans to sell. In a summer of uncertainty, holding on to a settled, in-form goalkeeper is non-negotiable.

Leicester turn to a familiar face

Away from Glasgow, Leicester City are plotting their own rebuild after the shock of relegation to League One. The club are in talks with Russell Martin about taking over as head coach, turning to a man who knows both the Premier League and Scottish football from his time at Southampton and Rangers.

Martin’s possession-heavy style has divided opinion in the past, but Leicester’s hierarchy see him as a candidate to lead a reset in identity as well as results. Dropping into the third tier demands clarity and conviction; they appear ready to bet that Martin can supply both.

As Celtic tweak a title-winning squad, Rangers search for a new right-back and midfield core, and Leicester hunt a manager to drag them out of the depths, the early moves of this window already hint at something bigger: this won’t be a quiet summer.