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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
Sport
Robbie Hanratty

Experienced goalkeeper linked with Celtic as champions hunt to replace Hart continues

Celtic have added experienced Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels to their transfer wish-list, according to reports.

The Hoops are on the hunt to find a long-term successor to Joe Hart, who will hang up his gloves for the final time after the Scottish Cup final this weekend. 

Casteels, 31, is set to represent Belgium at Euro 2024 and will likely be in demand following his Wolfsburg exit. He featured almost 300 times for the club during a nine-year period and waved an emotional farewell to fans in the aftermath to Saturday's 3-1 home loss to Mainz. 

However, the reliable Bundesliga stopper insists he doesn't know where his future lies, despite the Daily Mail claiming Celtic are in the mix to land his services on a free. 

"I don't have a new club yet," he told Wolfsburg's official website. "We've already held initial talks but it's not 100 per cent certain which club I'll be playing for next season.

"My son was born in Wolfsburg, so I'll always have that connection with the city and the club. When I look back on my career after my playing days are over, Wolfsburg will definitely be the club at which I spent the most time and which allowed me to transform from a youngster into an established Bundesliga goalkeeper."

Celtic have been linked with several potential goalkeeper signings prior to the summer transfer window opening.

Among those rumoured are Alex McCarthy from Southampton, Etienne Vaessen from Waalwijk, Burnley's Arijanet Muric, QPR's Asmir Begovic, and Turkish international Ugurcan Cakir from Trabzonspor.

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