Celtic transfer target Gavin Bazunu was forced into goal before making a huge decision | OneFootball

Southampton's Gavin Bazunu is a Celtic target and had to play in goal before making a huge decision on the future of his career as a goalkeeper...

Gavin Bazunu's career has taken a difficult turn since becoming a Southampton signing in 2022 from Man City, but Celtic will be unaware of a strange reason the Irishman being a goalkeeper.

After helping Saints win promotion to the Premier League, injuries and competition from Aaron Ramsdale affected his progress, while a loan at Standard Liege was cut short. He then joined Stoke City on loan in January 2026, but managed only six Championship appearances.

Now back at Southampton, he finds himself behind Daniel Peretz, Ramsdale and George Long, leaving his future uncertain. However, the 24-year-old is still young in goalkeeping terms.

Action Images

Perhaps the strangest part of Bazunu's story is that the Southampton 'keeper didn't really want to be a goalkeeper in the first place. As he explained to The Irish Times, he was around eight or nine when Shamrock Rovers' goalkeeper was unavailable, leaving Bazunu to draw the short straw and go in goal.

That said, he spent the next few years trying to avoid the position, rather than embracing it. At Leicester Celtic, he even spent one half of matches in goal and the other half playing outfield. Remarkably, he scored 10 goals during that period. Eventually, though, Bazunu realised that if he wanted to progress towards the highest level, goalkeeper was probably his best route.

He returned to Rovers and committed himself to the position, eventually becoming their youngest senior goalkeeper and making his first-team debut aged just 16. The irony is that a position he initially tried to escape ultimately became the route that took him to Manchester City, Southampton, and also international football.

Why Celtic could be the perfect move at this point of Gavin Bazunu's career

Action Images

In terms of the next steps in Bazunu's career and next chapter in his footballing story, Celtic's interest in signing Bazunu from Southampton makes considerable sense, with the Irishman reportedly being considered as Martin O'Neill looks to strengthen his goalkeeping options before the transfer deadline.

As said, at 24, Bazunu is still young for a goalkeeper and desperately needs regular football after a couple of disrupted seasons. A move to Scotland could give him the opportunity to rebuild his confidence while playing for one of the country's biggest clubs and potentially competing in Europe.

There is also obvious familiarity with Celtic, having previously had a trial with the club as a youngster, according to The Scottish Sun. For Bazunu, returning to a prominent role rather than remaining buried in Southampton's goalkeeping hierarchy could be exactly what is required to reignite his career away from the Championship.

Action Images

Bazunu's career is certainly not over, and Celtic could be an excellent environment in which to rediscover the qualities that once made him one of Europe's most exciting young goalkeepers. He has already demonstrated his ability to perform at senior level for other sides, including Southampton, and has 22 Republic of Ireland caps, despite being only 24.

Although it would be difficult to oust Mark Travers and Caoimhin Kelleher, those caps were not by chance. His early potential was huge. One particularly attractive quality which set him apart at a young age is his ability with the ball at his feet. His comfort in possession and passing range can allow him to spring attacks from deep, turning a save or controlled pass into the beginning of an attacking move.

Given that Bazunu spent part of his childhood wanting to be an outfield player, there is perhaps a pleasing connection there and some of those technical instincts remain valuable to him as a goalkeeper. Celtic could potentially unlock that side of his game while giving him the regular football he needs and building confidence in a team that is often a winning machine in Scotland.