It's a new month and there's a palpable sense of transfer season being ramped up.
Clubs are returning to training and Celtic are under Brendan Rodgers' watch once again will be aiming for a sizeable impact in Europe. For the Irishman to get Parkhead rocking under the Champions League lights he has set a mandate of quality over quantity. And his funds will only be boosted once Jota says goodbye for Saudi Arabia in a £25m deal in the coming days.
It's a shock to punters but former boss Ange Postecoglou made sure to warn followers of the club not to get too attached to the heroes of his Treble-winning side. But what comes next? It's clear the champions are seeking quality. The deal for Marco Tilio has been rubber-stamped and now it's on to the next targets for Rodgers and the Celtic board. Record Sport runs the rule over the names in the mix and how things stand.
Carlos Borges
His stats in EPL 2 for Manchester City appear something out a cheat code with 29 goals and four hat-tricks. And that is a winger with a boatload of assists to boot. But the path to prominence under Pep Guardiola in the first team is a challenge for any player. And it appears the 19-year-old Portugal youth international will likely leave the Etihad either on loan or a permanent deal with a buy back option included. Celtic fans have championed his cause with Jota heading for the exit door as a potential replacement for their star man who is on the verge of joining Al-Ittihad. But Borges' suitor list is bulging with Palermo, Norwich, Nottingham Forest and Leicester on his trail. A wanted man.
Jota
And back to the aforementioned Jota. His final days as a Celtic player are here as he gets sets for a money-spinning transfer to Saudi Arabia. Record Sport understands the deal is all-but rubber-stamped and Sky Sports state talks in the coming hours will centre around the initial fee and the structure of payments. But Celtic are landing £25m which equals the fee they received for Kieran Tierney when he left for Arsenal in 2019.
Kieran Tierney
Talking about the Scotland international and it's the rumour Celtic punters hope comes true. From bookies odds tumbling to reports the 26-year-old is all ears to a potential Parkhead return. It's the type of mouthwatering rumour punters love. But will it come off?
Several reports south of the border claim Tierney is seeking clarity from Arsenal over what comes next. It appeared towards the end of last season an exit was in the works, however, belief Mikel Arteta could switch to a 3-5-2 and cooling interest from Newcastle opens the door to an Emirates stay. But Celtic fans would love it if Tierney and the team he supports were to reunite again.
Fabian Rieder
Social media has been set ablaze on Saturday evening by the name of Fabian Rieder. The 21-year-old Young Boys midfielder is all-action and has earned glowing reviews for his displays with his club and Switzerland's U21 team - where he is starring against Spain for his national team. Whatsapp's must be on fire with Twitter on the ropes but Rieder is trending in the Glasgow area despite Elon's desire to keep punters on the outside looking in after his madcap mandate on how many tweets users can view.
