James Mclaughlin

Former Rangers defender Alan Hutton says Celtic’s club-record £11 million signing Kasper Høgh could fire the club to the Scottish title. After a difficult debut against Dundee, Høgh responded with a first-half hat-trick in Celtic’s 5–1 win over Kilmarnock. Hutton praised the striker’s finishing, movement and link-up play, drawing on his previous performances for Bodø/Glimt.

Celtic could secure around £40 million by eliminating LASK over two legs and reaching the Champions League league phase. Its guaranteed payout could rise further depending on other playoff results: Fenerbahçe eliminating Lyon could add about £1.09 million, NEC defeating Bodø/Glimt about £803,000, and Viking FK eliminating Dinamo Zagreb about £300,000. The increases stem from UEFA’s Value Pillar, which ranks clubs using five- and ten-year European coefficients and television-market metrics.

Motherwell manager Alfred Johansson reaffirmed the club’s commitment to maintaining a strong Scottish and UK-based core, despite criticism after an European starting XI contained no homegrown players. He highlighted the involvement of young prospects and explained that injuries and Alex Lowry’s ineligibility affected selection. Johansson also praised Austrian midfielder Lukas Fadinger’s form and leadership, while identifying Tom Sparrow and other senior players as important voices. Motherwell face HJK with the tie level at 1-1, seeking a place in the Conference League play-off round against Freiburg.

Celtic may need to move quickly for Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, with Red Bull Salzburg reportedly preparing an improved offer of around £20 million for a package including Gineitis and Alieu Njie. Celtic has tracked the 22-year-old as a potential replacement for Arne Engels, while Gineitis's agent confirms contact with the Scottish club and says the player is open to considering a move. Celtic is also monitoring Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur, whose different role means pursuing him would not necessarily rule out a move for Gineitis.

Wilfried Nancy has reflected on his brief spell in charge of Celtic, saying the project was affected by injuries, instability and mounting fear over results. He believes performance indicators suggested Celtic should have won several matches by wider margins, despite the team sitting second and three points behind the leaders when the club ended their relationship. Nancy said he needed more time to establish his ideas but fondly recalled the extraordinary passion surrounding Celtic.

St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has been cited by the Scottish Football Association over comments made about referee Sean Murdoch after St Mirren’s 1-0 Premier Sports Cup defeat to Dunfermline. McLeish appeared to question Murdoch’s connection to Dunfermline, whose former goalkeeper made two key decisions against St Mirren. McLeish later said the remark was tongue-in-cheek and not intended to challenge the referee’s integrity, but the SFA has issued a formal Notice of Complaint. St Mirren is expected to contest the charge.

Kasper Hogh has arrived in London for a Celtic medical ahead of an expected club-record £11 million transfer plus add-ons. The Bodø/Glimt striker is set to sign a four-year contract with an option for an additional season after scoring five Champions League goals and 15 goals across all competitions, with 11 assists. Celtic are also pursuing Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur, although Paderborn sporting director Sebastian Lange confirmed that an initial offer was rejected.

Martin O'Neill said he was disappointed that Daizen Maeda left Celtic for Ipswich in a transfer reportedly worth up to £10 million, but understood the player's wish to play in the Premier League. O'Neill praised Maeda's contribution and revealed that the forward had rejected a substantial Celtic contract offer 18 months earlier, preferring to remain on his existing wages with the intention of eventually moving to England. Celtic will miss the 28-year-old, whose final season ended on a high.

Celtic have agreed an £11 million-plus club-record fee to sign Danish forward Kasper Høgh from Bodø/Glimt. The 25-year-old is expected to undergo a medical and sign a long-term contract with the Scottish Premiership champions, surpassing the fee paid for Arne Engels. The development follows Daizen Maeda’s departure for Ipswich Town in a deal worth up to £10 million, with the Japan international issuing an emotional farewell to Celtic supporters.

Celtic will host AC Milan at Celtic Park on Saturday, July 25, in their final pre-season fixture before opening their Scottish Premiership campaign against Dundee on August 3. The match will not be televised but can be streamed through Celtic Player. New forward Camilo Duran is expected to feature after scoring in friendlies against Sporting and Middlesbrough.

Kyogo Furuhashi has left Birmingham City to join LA Galaxy on a five‑year deal, taking an international roster slot. Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz praised Furuhashi’s experience and goal‑scoring ability. The move follows a short spell at Birmingham City, where he scored three goals in 31 appearances after earlier moves from Celtic and Rennes.

Elijah Just is set to join Swansea City in a record sale for Motherwell after impressing at the World Cup, ending Celtic’s hopes of signing him. Motherwell benefit significantly from the transfer alongside recent sales, while Celtic have made only one signing so far this window.

Real Oviedo’s sporting director David Fernandez acknowledged that a substantial new bid from Celtic for winger Haissem Hassan could compel the club to sell. Celtic reportedly had an initial £3.4 million offer rejected but are expected to return with an improved proposal, while Hassan’s valuation has dropped from £16 million to about £10 million. Liverpool have also been linked, though Celtic are described as maintaining the strongest interest.

Celtic Fans Collective criticised the club’s board after large sections of Celtic Park were empty during the friendly against Middlesbrough, saying supporters are tired of being treated as revenue sources and that the club’s ambition is lacking at leadership level. The boycott contributed to one of the lowest attendances since the stadium reopened. The match ended 1–1, with David Strelec scoring for Middlesbrough and Camilo Duran equalising for Celtic.

Motherwell lost 4-3 to KRC Genk in a high-scoring friendly at Fir Park, taking an early lead through an Elijah Just penalty before Genk responded with goals from Aaron Bibout, Daan Heymans and Brad Manguelle. Motherwell narrowed the deficit with late goals from Mikey Booth and Robbie Hunter, while new signings Alex Paulsen, Martin Moormann and Willy Vogt featured. The team now turns its focus to an upcoming UEFA Conference League qualifier against Havnar Bóltfelag.

Motherwell were fined £5,000 by the Scottish FA for social‑media criticism of a controversial VAR penalty decision that influenced the title race. The club expressed strong dissatisfaction with the ruling and is considering legal action while awaiting written reasons. Midfielder Elliot Watt received a four‑match suspension after admitting a breach of rules prohibiting comments suggesting bias or incompetence by officials. The decision was defended by SFA refereeing chief Willie Collum.