Rangers eye Celtic transfer hijack as €10m battle commences

31 Jul 2026 17:55 BST | 4 min read

Derek McInnes, Rangers, Martin O'Neill, Celtic — © IMAGO

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

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Rangers are reportedly “pushing” to sign Frosinone forward Fares Ghedjemis just months after his proposed move to Celtic fell through.

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The Algeria winger, 23, was widely tipped to complete a move to Celtic Park during the winter transfer window, but Martin O’Neill’s side were unwilling to match his €10 million price tag and the deal ultimately collapsed.

Current ETV

Farès Ghedjemis

F, M (R)

Frosinone

Farès Ghedjemis

F, M (R)

Frosinone

ETV Range

€2.1M - €3.1M

Celtic have now rekindled their interest in Ghedjemis, as per a report from The Herald, although they are set to face significant competition from Old Firm rivals Rangers, who are also keen to land the attacker before the end of the summer transfer window.

Celtic opted to sign Joel Mvuka on loan following their failure to finalise a deal for Ghedjemis, but he endured a torrid stint in Glasgow and the club are once again keen to bolster their attacking options.

The Hoops have already confirmed the arrivals of Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh, from Qarabag and Bodo/Glimt respectively, and they have now reportedly turned their attention to finally bringing Ghedjemis to Celtic Park.

However, Rangers have now joined the race to sign the Algerian and they are “pushing” to hijack Celtic’s proposed deal, according to Sky Italy (via The Daily Record).

Ghedjemis scored 15 goals and provided three assists in 37 Serie B games last season and while Frosinone’s asking price stands at €10m, his Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is a mere €2.6m.

Despite this, Frosinone general manager Pietro Doronzo believes that Ghedjemis is now worth double their previous €10m valuation.

“In January, there was a real possibility that Ghedjemis would leave: Celtic had made a very significant offer. President [Maurizio] Stirpe, despite knowing how crucial he was to us, wanted to consult the boy, reiterating that Frosinone is not a prison.

“The player responded clearly: 'I want to stay here to win the championship.' It was a risk to turn down that offer, but the President’s courage and the boy’s determination were rewarded.

“Today, Ghedjemis’ value has doubled, and his performances have been crucial to our climb up the ladder.”

Analysis: Celtic or Rangers - who should Fares Ghedjemis join?

According to data analytics experts SciSports, Rangers rank as a slightly more favourable destination for Ghedjemis than Celtic.

Derek McInnes’ side have a Club Fit score of 71 for the Algeria international, who played once for his country at the World Cup, while Celtic have a Club Fit Score of 68 by comparison.