Celtic and Rangers Set for Major Summer Reshuffle

The summer window in Scotland is starting to snarl. At Celtic and Rangers, the front lines are being ripped up and rebuilt in real time.

Celtic move for Høgh as Maeda heads for the exit

Celtic look to have their next centre-forward lined up. Talks with Bodo/Glimt over Kasper Høgh are advanced, with the Norwegian champions braced to lose the 25-year-old Dane, valued at around £7m.

Høgh stayed glued to the bench on Thursday night as Bodo/Glimt cruised to a 3-0 win over HamKam. On another night, that might have been a footnote. With Celtic circling – and having tracked him since January – it felt like a signal. One eye on the future, and that future likely in Glasgow.

The move comes as Daizen Maeda edges towards the door. The Japan international arrived in London on Thursday to undergo a medical ahead of a £10m switch to Ipswich Town. If all goes to plan, Celtic expect the 28-year-old’s departure to be rubber-stamped on Friday.

Losing Maeda’s relentless energy and versatility would leave a hole, but Celtic are already working through a long shopping list.

Their £4m offer for Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur has fallen short of the German club’s valuation. Paderborn, promoted to the Bundesliga, are prepared to let the 22-year-old walk for free next summer rather than sell him cheaply now. Celtic know the price; the question is whether they’re willing to meet it.

The Scottish champions are also casting admiring glances towards Serie A. Lazio pair Gustav Isaksen, a 25-year-old striker, and 24-year-old winger Matteo Cancellieri are both under consideration as Brendan Rodgers reshapes his attacking options.

At the back, there is another negotiation brewing. Las Palmas want more than £4.3m plus a sell-on clause for goalkeeper Dinko Horkas, who has been heavily linked with Celtic. The fee, and the future percentage, will test how badly the club want the 27-year-old.

Even players already in Glasgow are drawing interest. Reo Hatate is on West Ham United’s radar, and he is not alone. Rangers centre-half John Souttar and his brother Harry, the Australia and Leicester City defender, are also on the London club’s list. The Premier League’s pull never really goes away.

Danilo lands in Brazil as Rangers reset their attack

Across the city, Rangers are making their own bold cuts.

Danilo has arrived in Brazil and is due to undergo a medical on Friday ahead of a loan move to Botafogo. The 27-year-old striker never fully settled at Ibrox, and his departure underlines the scale of the attacking rebuild facing Rangers before the new season kicks in.

The market is already moving around them. AC Milan are closing in on a deal with Troyes for 20-year-old centre-back Sankhoun Diawara, a player who had attracted interest from Rangers and Basel. Once again, Rangers find themselves watching a target slip towards one of Europe’s heavyweights.

Back in England, one former Rangers loanee is already feeling the benefit of his time in Glasgow. Mikey Moore, now back at Tottenham Hotspur, played the second half of Spurs’ 1-0 friendly win over MK Dons and spoke of being “buzzing to be back”. The 18-year-old winger believes his stint at Ibrox has made him a better player. Tottenham will be quick to cash in on that development.

Hearts, Aberdeen and Dundee United fight their own battles

It is not just the Old Firm shaping the market.

At Heart of Midlothian, the club are closing in on a deal that would deliver a financial windfall elsewhere. Forest Green Rovers manager Robbie Savage has confirmed the National League side will receive a record fee, potentially rising close to seven figures, if midfielder Laurent Mendy agrees personal terms with Hearts. For a club operating at Forest Green’s level, that is transformative money.

Aberdeen, meanwhile, have opened talks over 21-year-old centre-back Jadel Katongo. The England Under-20 international is on the books at Kayserispor, and while there is interest, the finances involved are making an agreement extremely difficult. The Dons want him. Affording him is another matter.

Dundee United are stuck in a different kind of limbo. They are still waiting for Major League Soccer to sign off the loan move of 21-year-old left-back Philippe Ndinga from Philadelphia Union. The deal is lined up; the paperwork is not.

Manager Jim Goodwin has more immediate worries. He has vowed to “fight tooth and nail” to keep Lorenzo Sassetti at Tannadice after the forward became the club’s youngest ever player on Tuesday at just 15. Serie A clubs and Premier League sides are already circling. United know the pattern: once the big leagues come calling, hanging on requires more than passion and promises.

Jackson refuses return as Rangers’ European opponents adjust

On the continent, Rangers’ upcoming European opponents have their own turmoil.

Jagiellonia Bialystok have confirmed that United States midfielder AZ Jackson has refused to return to Poland for pre-season after spending the second half of last season on loan at Vancouver Whitecaps. The 24-year-old will not feature against Rangers in Europa League qualifying.

For Rangers, that removes one creative threat from their path. For Jagiellonia, it is a reminder of how quickly a squad can fray once players start looking elsewhere.

In Glasgow and beyond, the same question hangs in the air: with so many moving parts, who will step out of this window stronger when the first whistle blows?