Celtic Eye 23-Year-Old In Bold Return To Scotland: But Is He The Answer? | OneFootball

Celtic have made their first move. Reports from Italy, via Glasgow World, claim the Parkhead club are testing the waters for Kieron Bowie, just months after the striker moved to Hellas Verona for £6 million. Preliminary contact is already underway with the Serie A side. Well, Serie B now. Verona crashed out of the top flight last season, finishing second bottom.

Celtic eye Kieron Bowie in bold return to Scotland

That relegation changes everything.

Bowie signed a long-term contract until 2030 when he left Hibernian in January. But second-tier football means financial pain, and Verona need cash. The 23-year-old Kirkcaldy-born forward scored four goals in 14 games over there. It is a decent return for a team playing on a sinking ship. Before his Italian adventure, Bowie hit nine for Hibs and earned two Scotland caps. His journey started at Raith Rovers before a move to Fulham and productive loans at Northampton Town. Hibs then bought him for £700,000 in 2024, banking a club-record fee when they sold him. Now, Celtic could sign him for around £3.5 million. It is a massive discount.

Is this the Celtic profile O’Neill needs?

BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 22: Kieron Bowie of Hellas Verona in action during the Serie A match between Atalanta BC and Hellas Verona FC at Gewiss Stadium on March 22, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Francesco Scaccianoce/Getty Images)

Does he actually fit? Not completely.

Martin O’Neill wants a specific profile. He has been vocal about needing a physical target man to bully defenders, something this squad completely lacked last term. Frank McAvennie said it best: O’Neill loves big, strong players who can rough up opposition centre-backs. Bowie has a height of 6ft 2in. The frame is there. The playing style, however, is totally different. He is a runner, not a battering ram. He likes chasing space and playing off the shoulder. He will not hold the ball up with his back to goal against a packed low-block in a tense Champions League qualifier.

Look at the current squad. It is bare bones. Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara are both back in the Bundesliga after terrible loan spells. Kelechi Iheanacho’s contract situation is a mess. Daizen Maeda looks set to leave this summer.

At £3.5 million, Bowie represents a low-risk option. He knows the league. But the Champions League demands more than just SPFL experience. Muscle injuries also ruined chunks of his 2024–25 season. Still, the deal makes sense if Celtic view him as a squad option rather than the main man. Sign him alongside a true heavyweight striker, and the logic becomes clear.