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Martin O'Neill confirms three imminent Celtic sales
Updated: 13 Jul 2026 07:18 BST |
5 min read
News
Celtic boss Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Daizen Maeda, Arne Engels and Reo Hatate are all likely to leave the club before the end of the summer transfer window.
The Scottish giants, who secured their fifth consecutive league title on the final day of last season, have sold Luis Palma, Stephen Welsh, Hayato Inamura and Josh Clarke so far this summer, and O’Neill is resigned to the fact that Maeda, Engels and Hatate are set to follow suit.
Current ETV
Daizen Maeda
F (CL)
Celtic
Daizen Maeda
F (CL)
Celtic
ETV Range
€10.3M - €12.6M
Maeda was expected to join Wolfsburg last year, but the proposed deal fell through and although his contract runs until 2027, O’Neill has confirmed that Celtic are expected to lose the Japan international.
“I think there's some resignation in that aspect,” he told reporters when asked if Maeda will depart this summer.
“It isn't one of those where he's got a year left to run and we want to try and make something of it in the sense of getting money. It's not that at all. Personally speaking, I would love it if he just let his contract run through. And played for the last year.
“Honestly, it would be super. I don't know whether that's in his mind or in his agent's mind. I'd love him to stay. I'm not sure that that's going to happen.”
Hatate, on the other hand, failed to break into O’Neill’s preferred starting XI during the latter stages of last season and an exit appears inevitable.
“I think that Reo has done exceptionally well at the football club since he arrived. People have said he might even have been the best player in Scotland two or three years ago. I think myself that he's probably looking to maybe see if there's new pastures for him,” O’Neill said.
“I'll see how it goes with him here when he's there. Like everything else, during this particular time, it's a bit unsettling for players, a wee bit like Maeda. So, you just don't know.
“I'd love to keep him at the football club. He's done brilliantly, and he's got a year left to run. But I said to him, if he left the football club, I would be obviously disappointed, but he couldn't have done any more for us. He really couldn't have done any more.
“And Reo himself, let's see what options might be around. But if nothing develops, I'd be very happy to keep him.”
Meanwhile, Engels attracted significant interest from Nottingham Forest in January and if a suitable offer arrives in time this summer, O’Neill is aware that a deal may be finalised.
“If, for instance, all those bids that Nottingham Forest made come in on the 11th hour - that was just a non-goer for us at that particular stage.
“So if some things can happen a bit earlier, then maybe there's some resignation on my part.”
Who do Celtic want to sign this summer?
Last week, Celtic announced the arrival of Qarabag forward Camilo Duran as their first signing of the summer window and several other deals are expected to be finalised before the start of the 2026-27 campaign.
FootballTransfers has been told that Celtic must match the €12 million release clause included in Haissen Hassam’s contract at Real Oviedo as they look to sign the Egypt star, while the likes of Kieron Bowie and Elijah Just are also on the Hoops’ radar.
Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh is a key target for Celtic too, with the club prioritising attacking reinforcements as they prepare for Maeda’s imminent exit.
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