Celtic Have A Bid Rejected For This West Ham United Midfielder: Should They Return With An Improved Offer? | OneFootball

If a recent report from the Hammers News (as cited by The Glasgow Times) is believed to be true, Celtic had a bid rejected for Andy Irving. The champions of Scotland tabled an offer of around £1.75m, plus £500k in add-ons, for the West Ham United star. However, the Premier League side have set a valuation of £3.5m for the former Hearts midfielder.

The 25-year-old Scotland international progressed through the academy ranks of the Jambos before being loaned out to Berwick Rangers in the Scottish League Two for regular game time. After making his senior debut at his boyhood club, Irving was shipped to Falkirk in the second tier.

He featured week in and week out at Tynecastle since his return, but joined the lower-league German outfit Türkgücü München in 2021 on a free transfer. The Scotsman plied his trade to Austria with top-flight side Austria Klagenfurt a year later, and the breakthrough 2022-23 season in the Austrian Bundesliga earned him a high-profile £1.5m move to East London a couple of summers ago.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 03: Andy Irving of West Ham during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and West Ham United FC at Stamford Bridge on February 03, 2025, in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Irving spent the 2023-24 campaign on loan at Klagenfurt but was part of the Irons first-team squad last term under Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter, with the latter succeeding the Spaniard earlier this year. He only made 11 appearances for the Hammers across competitions, and therefore, should be allowed to explore a fresh opportunity elsewhere.

Should Celtic Meet West Ham’s Demands?

The Hoops, meanwhile, are well-equipped in the middle of the park. Brendan Rodgers has begun the campaign with skipper Callum McGregor, new signing Benjamin Nygren and the ever-present Reo Hatate as his midfield trio. But he also has Paulo Bernardo, Luke McCowan and Arne Engels, who are challenging for minutes as understudies to the current starters.

Yet the Celts have targeted market opportunities over the years. Irving’s West Ham contract expires next summer, thus allowing Celtic to negotiate a cut-price deal for the midfielder. Potter should sanction a transfer rather than losing him for nothing in less than a year. A return to his homeland with the Scottish champions would be an occasion to cherish, given his lack of involvement throughout the 2024-25 season.

Predominantly a ‘number 8’ who prefers to carry the ball forward from the deep to operate in the advanced areas, Irving also fits in as a midfield attacker or a deep-lying playmaker. His flexibility in the centre of the pitch should bolster the Bhoys, as they are gearing up for another gruelling campaign with domestic and European encounters.