Celtic edge closer to dream signing as transfer hint dropped

Updated: 17 Aug 2026 13:57 BST | 4 min read

Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

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Torino sporting director Gianluca Petrachi has admitted that sales will be required before the end of the summer transfer window amid Celtic’s interest in Gvidas Gineitis.

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The 22-year-old has emerged as a top target for Martin O’Neill’s side following the sale of Arne Engels to West Ham United for €25.8 million, and they are expected to intensify their pursuit of his signature over the coming days.

Current ETV

Gvidas Gineitis

M (C)

Torino

Gvidas Gineitis

M (C)

Torino

ETV Range

€6.3M - €8.5M

Gineitis is reportedly valued at around €10.5m by Torino and while they were previously reluctant to lose the 22-year-old before Transfer Deadline Day, Celtic have now received strong encouragement that a deal could be on the cards.

Torino have raised just €12.4m through player sales so far this summer, and Petrachi has now admitted that further exits will need to be sanctioned shortly.

“The club is losing around €20m this year, and therefore, naturally, we also need to make some sales,” he admitted to reporters (via The Daily Record).

It remains to be seen if Celtic will formalise their interest in Gineitis with an official bid, but widespread reports have confirmed that he is the club’s preferred replacement for Engels, and talks over a move are therefore likely to ramp up before the window closes.

© IMAGO - Celtic want to sign Gvidas Gineitis

Who else will Celtic sign this summer?

In addition to Gineitis, Celtic have also been linked with Cheick Souare (Viktoria Plzen), Niko Sigur (Hajduk Split) and Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), with central midfield viewed as a key area in need of reinforcements before Deadline Day.

Meanwhile, they remain in talks with Chelsea over a loan deal for academy left-back Landon Emenalo as they look to sign a back-up option to Kieran Tierney.

So far this summer, Celtic have spent €30.6m on Kasper Hogh, Haissem Hassan, Camilo Duran and Mika Baur, while they have offloaded Engels, Daizen Maeda, Luis Palma, Maik Nawrocki, Hayato Inamura and Josh Clarke on permanent deals.

Kelechi Iheanacho, Stephen Welsh and Kasper Schmeichel have all departed upon the expiration of their contracts, with the latter retiring, and Paulo Bernardo and Shim Yamada have left on loan.

The Hoops are one of only two teams to have won both of their opening two fixtures of the new Scottish Premiership season, alongside St Mirren, and they are currently top of the table on goal difference.