Celtic’s transfer business well underway with mass clear out

In partnership with

The Celtic Star

·6 de julio de 2025

Celtic’s transfer business well underway with mass clear out

When David Friel dropped the possibility about Celtic potentially selling “12 or 13 players” this summer. The Sun Sport journalist certainly made a few heads turn with his comments….

That seemed like a stretch, especially with Champions League group stage football on the horizon. But on closer inspection, and with the window just beginning to pick up, it’s not only believable—it’s looking more and more like a realistic scenario.

We’ll start with five players who have already departed Celtic Park, in a mix of permanent deals and developmental moves.

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Greg Taylor. Photo PAOK

Greg Taylor: A dependable servant during his time at Celtic, Taylor made a summer exit to Greek club PAOK.

Scott Bain: The third-choice keeper moved on in search of more game time—no surprise there. He’s gone to Falkirk.

Maik Nawrocki: Signed with some fanfare, but never fully convinced the manager. His departure to 2 Bundesliga has opened space in a packed centre-back department.

Maik Nawrocki in the Celtic celebrations. Scottish Premiership. Wednesday 14 May 2025. Aberdeen 1-5 Celtic. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Matthew Anderson & Daniel Cummings: Two younger players looking to develop elsewhere—Anderson joined KV Kortrijk while Cummings moved on to West Ham, after struggling for a first-team breakthrough.

Then there’s the next group. Players either surplus to requirements or in desperate need of regular minutes elsewhere.

Gustaf Lagerbielke: His exit feels inevitable. Celtic were open to letting him go in January, and little has changed since. A permanent deal is being worked on with Braga.

Luis Palma: A strange one—flashes of brilliance, but consistency was lacking. There’s interest from MLS –an ideal fit you’d think – and beyond, and if a good offer comes in, Celtic will likely cash in, after all he had an option to buy clause that wasn’t activated whilst on loan at Olympiakos.

Marco Tilio of the City lifts the trophy as Melbourne City players celebrate after winning the A-League Men Grand Final match between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park on May 31, 2025, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images)

Marco Tilio: Never got going at Celtic, Rodgers seemed to feel he was miles of it. Expected to return to Australia or move on elsewhere. Loan or permanent—either way, an exit seems nailed on.

Stephen Welsh: A Celtic man but behind several in the pecking order. Rodgers rates him but may need to sacrifice depth for better balance and quality.

Nicolas Kühn: Another who looks all but gone, with Como close to announcing his signing.

Nicolas Kuhn scores during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Knockout Play-off second leg match between FC Bayern München and Celtic FC at Allianz Arena on February 18, 2025 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

Kwon Hyeok-kyu: A fringe player likely to head out on loan again after a mixed season with Hibs on loan—possibly to Europe or back to the K-League.

That’s six more potentially heading for the exit door. Add that to the five already departed and we’re at 11. Now we come to the final two—and both are interesting cases.

Yang leads the celebrations. St Mirren v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Saturday 1st March 2025. Photo: Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Yang Hyun-jun: Showed flashes last season, and interest is building. Legia Warsaw had a sniff, but the reported £3–4m price tag is too steep for the Polish club, according to Friel’s sources. That said, it only takes one Championship club to firm up interest and Celtic could be tempted.

Johnny Kenny: Looked sharp and bulked up against Queen’s Park, grabbing a goal. Bolton Wanderers lodged a derisory £500k bid that Celtic binned without hesitation. Rodgers may see a loan in Scotland—perhaps to a Premiership side—as a better path to long-term development.

4th July 2025; The City Stadium, Glasgow, Pre Season Friendly, Queens Park versus Celtic;Johnny Kenny of Celtic warms up. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

These two represent the fine margins. A couple of decent showings in pre-season, or a reasonable offer from down south, and the decision becomes simpler.

So, we’re already at 11 with two more in the balance. Friel wasn’t exaggerating, was he? Celtic are clearly in a period of real squad reshaping, and with Rodgers keen to trim the fat and inject quality, shifting a dozen or more players to make room for four or five key signings makes total sense.

This isn’t a fire sale, instead it’s arguably a long-overdue refresh. And as long as the replacements are of the calibre we need to compete in Europe and retain the league title, most fans will support it.

One thing is clear—this isn’t a summer for standing still. The refresh, it seems, is well underway and the exit route is just as important a consideration as new faces.

Niall J

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