Celtic target 63y/o ‘shock candidate’ to replace Martin O’Neill if Ange Postecoglou rejects return – report | OneFootball

Celtic want a former Real Madrid and Manchester United manager to take over as the first-team boss at the end of the season, should Ange Postecoglou refuse to return to Celtic Park and replace Martin O’Neill, according to a report.

O’Neill was appointed as the Celtic manager for the rest of the season at the start of January following the departure of Wilfried Nancy. The 73-year-old was initially appointed in the role in late October following the departure of Brendan Rodgers, before making way for Nancy in early December.

Ange Postecoglou would be a dream managerial appointment for Celtic, with the 60-year-old having had huge success during his time at Celtic Park.

The former Australia international defender was the manager of Celtic for two years between 2021 and 2023, and won the Scottish Premiership and the Scottish League Cup twice each and the Scottish Cup once.

TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, reported back on October 29, 2025, that Celtic had approached Postecoglou over returning to the club to replace Rodgers following his dismissal as the Nottingham Forest manager.

Sports Boom has now reported that Celtic’s interest in Postecoglou is still intact, but the Glasgow giants have also placed Jose Mourinho on their wishlist.

The report has described the Benfica manager as ‘a shock candidate’ for Celtic, claiming that ‘if Postecoglou decides against rejoining’ the Hoops, then Mourinho would be the one for the club’s chiefs.

Celtic reportedly believe that the club’s ‘stature and global following’ and regular appearance in European competitions would be ‘appealing’ to the former Real Madrid and Manchester United manager.

‘The opportunity to resurrect’ Celtic would appeal so much to Mourinho that the former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager would ‘lower his salary demands’ to take charge of the first team, according to the report.

Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.

What Jose Mourinho has said about managing in Scotland

This is not the first time that Mourinho has been linked with Celtic.

There have been suggestions before about the 63-year-old manager taking charge of the Hoops.

In May 2019, Chris Sutton claimed that Celtic had approached Mourinho over taking charge of the first team and replacing Neil Lennon.

Sutton told BT Sport (now TNT Sports) at the time: “[Massimiliano] Allegri from Juventus, [but] it’s not going to happen.

“It’s so tough to stand here and say who will be the next Celtic manager because it’s a big job.

“There’s going to be a lot of managers in for it. Mourinho was heavily linked and I’m led to believe that there was something in that in terms of there being an offer.

“But why would he take the Celtic job? I just don’t get it.

“I don’t know the exact terms but there was an offer.”

In March 2025, Mourinho publicly said that he would be open to managing a club in Scotland.

Mourinho was then in charge of Turkish Super Lig club Fenerbahce and made the comments ahead of the Europa League last-16 match against Rangers, Celtic’s bitter rivals.

BBC Sport quoted Mourinho as saying when asked if working in Scotland would interest him: “In this moment, no, because I have a job.

“It’s a job that motivates me and demands loyalty. But why not in the future?

“People can say the Scottish league is a league of two teams, but it is a league of passion. Passion in football is everything.

“To play in empty stadiums and competitions where there is not that fire or the passion does not make any sense.

“Celtic and Rangers are two big clubs with incredible history also in Europe. I have lots of respect. They are big clubs with big fan bases, expectations.”