£10m Celtic Target In Talks With Serie A Sides: Why The Hoops Must Stay Away? | OneFootball

The Italian top flight loves a Scottish export these days. Look at the data. It works. Now, a proper bidding war has kicked off in Serie A for Kieron Bowie, and it leaves Celtic with a massive decision to make this summer.

Serie A bidding war erupts for £10m Scotland striker Kieron Bowie as Celtic look elsewhere

Sassuolo have actively entered the race for the 23-year-old forward. According to the Daily Record, they have opened formal talks with Hellas Verona. They aren’t alone, though. Bologna are right there too, having tracked the lad since his early days breaking through at Hibernian.

It is a fascinating scramble. Verona paid Hibs a club-record £6 million for his services back in January 2026. Then, disaster. Verona dropped like a stone, relegated to Serie B. Naturally, they want out. But they want a profit first. They have slapped a stiff £10 million price tag on their prized asset, and because Hibs tucked a sell-on clause into the original deal, the Edinburgh club are sitting pretty waiting for a lovely financial windfall.

The hype is real enough. Four goals and an assist in just 14 games across a brutal four-month spell in Italy. He hit the ground running. Bizarrely, Steve Clarke completely ignored that form, leaving the striker out of Scotland’s recent World Cup squad. A baffling call, frankly. Bundesliga clubs showed major interest too, though those talks have gone cold. Sassuolo, comfy in mid-table, want him badly. They like a Scot. They took left-back Josh Doig from Verona two years ago, and Bowie is now top of their shopping list.

Why the Hoops must walk away

BARNSLEY, ENGLAND – APRIL 27: Kieron Bowie of Northampton Town prior to the Sky Bet League One match between Barnsley and Northampton Town at Oakwell Stadium on April 27, 2024 in Barnsley, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)

Where do Celtic fit into this? They have a long-standing link with Bowie. Fans know it. The board knows it. But there has been absolutely zero fresh contact from Parkhead this summer. Good. They should keep it that way.

Paying a £10 million premium for a boy with a mere 14 top-flight games in Italy is a massive gamble. Martin O’Neill needs ready-made, elite production for the Champions League, not a costly punt on potential. The market holds far better value elsewhere.

Take Camilo Duran. Celtic have already made real headway on a £3 million deal for the Qarabag winger. He fits the tactical system like a glove. Spending a giant chunk of the remaining transfer kitty on Bowie makes zero sense when the squad has far more glaring holes to plug before the European campaign kicks off. Let Sassuolo and Bologna fight it out.