Celtic are interested in completing the signing of a 28-year-old on a free transfer in the summer window, according to a fresh update regarding their squad overhaul.
Celtic players leaving in 2024
The Hoops are expecting a busy summer, with new faces needed to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ squad, but other individuals set to leave the club when the season ends.
One of those is Joe Hart, who has confirmed that he will retire from professional football when his contract expires in the summer, bringing an end to an excellent career for club and country. The 36-year-old has made 143 appearances for Celtic to date, helping them win back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles, and sealing a third in succession would be a perfect way to bow out.
Loan pairing Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah’s loan spells will end then, with the Hoops having an option to buy the former. In terms of Idah’s future, recent reports have suggested that Celtic want to sign the striker on a permanent basis, although departed Head of Recruitment Mark Lawwell failed to add an option to buy him in his contract.
There is sure to be interest yet again in stars like Kyogo Furuhashi and Matt O’Riley too, and we could see something of a mini squad overhaul at Parkhead this summer.
Celtic want to sign 28-year-old free agent
According to a new update from The Brabrants Dagblad [via Inside Futbol], Celtic want to sign RKC Waalwijk goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen this summer. The report states that the 28-year-old is seen as a potential successor to the outgoing Hart, as the Hoops look to bring in a perfect replacement.
Vaeseen could represent a strong choice to fill the void left by Hart, even though he doesn’t have the long-term pedigree and fame of Celtic’s current man between the sticks. At 28, he is still relatively young for a goalkeeper, with so many peaking in their 30s in the modern game and playing until they are around 40, so he would be considered a long-term signing.
He now has 109 appearancees in the Eredivisie to his name, showing that he can succeed in a big European league, with 22 starts in the competition this season.
Vaessen suffered a horrible head injury against Ajax earlier in the season – one that led to the game being abandoned because of the severity of the issue – but thankfully, he made a full recovery and has continued to be a key figure for RKC throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
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The manner in which the Dutchman has responded to such a serious injury arguably says a lot about his mental resolve, acting as a further positive in his game, should Celtic identify him as the possible best option to replace Hart in the summer.
