Celtic transfers 2025: every 2025-26 deal so far

Celtic transfers 2025 have dominated the Scottish headlines since the window creaked open, and Brendan Rodgers’ recruitment drive is already reshaping the champions for another tilt at domestic glory and a deeper run in Europe. The Hoops reclaimed the Premiership crown last term, but the manager and the board agree that standing still is not an option if Parkhead is to play host to Champions League nights beyond the group stage.

Celtic transfers 2025 – all confirmed business

Rodgers moved early, tying up the free-transfer return of Australia international Aaron Mooy, whose experience should steady a youthful midfield. Next through the Lennoxtown doors came 20-year-old striker Diego Moreira from Benfica for a modest £4 million, a deal viewed internally as the next Jota-style bargain. Celtic transfers 2025 continued apace when left-back Owen Beck extended last season’s loan into a permanent £6 million switch from Liverpool, while Freiburg’s towering centre-back Kenneth Schmidt arrived for £7 million to add height and aggression at set pieces.

Permanently in

• Aaron Mooy – Free (Unattached)
• Diego Moreira – £4 m (Benfica)
• Owen Beck – £6 m (Liverpool)
• Kenneth Schmidt – £7 m (Freiburg)

Loan arrivals

The club have also embraced the loan market. England U-21 winger Amario Cozier-Duberry joins from Arsenal with an option to buy, and Manchester City’s teenage playmaker Jacob Wright is in for a season to learn Rodgers’ positional-play gospel.

Key exits and contract decisions

Celtic transfers 2025 are not just about signings. To balance the books, the champions sanctioned a £12 million move to Southampton for Matt O’Riley, whose resale clause nets MK Dons a tidy cut. Veteran left-back Greg Taylor has joined Bologna for £4 million, B-team graduate Bosun Lawal earned a £2 million switch to Swansea, and Joe Hart finally hung up his gloves. The wage bill is lighter, but Rodgers’ insistence on two senior keepers saw Canadian international Maxime Crépeau arrive from LAFC for £3 million.

Departures

• Matt O’Riley – £12 m (Southampton)
• Greg Taylor – £4 m (Bologna)
• Bosun Lawal – £2 m (Swansea)
• Joe Hart – Retired
• Sead Hakšabanović – Loan (Feyenoord)

Why Rodgers’ strategy matters

A hallmark of Celtic transfers 2025 is the blend of immediate starters and high-ceiling prospects. The manager has reiterated that Champions League revenue must supplement but not dictate the budget, and sporting director Mark Lawwell’s data-led approach underpins every negotiation. With Financial Fair Play thresholds tightening, selling at peak value—O’Riley this year, Jota previously—funds fresh talent before wages spiral.

Squad depth by position

Goalkeepers: Crépeau, Bain
Full-backs: Johnston, Ralston, Beck, Bernabei
Centre-backs: Carter-Vickers, Schmidt, Scales, Nawrocki
Midfielders: McGregor, Hatate, Mooy, Holm, Turnbull
Forwards: Kyogo, Moreira, Abada, Maeda, Cozier-Duberry

What’s still on the agenda?

Celtic transfers 2025 are unlikely to stop here. Sources in Glasgow suggest Rodgers wants another versatile attacker before the window shuts. Talks with PSV over Johan Bakayoko have cooled, but Portuguese outlet A Bola reports ongoing contact for Sporting Braga winger Rodrigo Gomes. Meanwhile, retaining Reo Hatate amid Bundesliga interest is a priority, and a contract extension is on the table for the Japan star.

The home-grown pathway

Academy prospects Mitchell Frame and Rocco Vata impressed in pre-season and could alleviate depth concerns, potentially saving millions. Rodgers is keen to avoid blocking their route, which explains the preference for loans with options rather than permanent deals for squad roles.

European ambitions drive the spending

The board’s strategic review concluded that consistent Champions League participation requires a coefficient of at least 25—a target only achievable through knockout-stage progress. Hence Celtic transfers 2025 emphasise players with European minutes in their legs, like Schmidt, or those adaptable to Continental tactical demands, like Moreira.

Financial snapshot

Total spent: £20 million
Total recouped: £18 million
Net spend: £2 million

Such balanced books mean further signings remain viable if the right opportunities arise. Supporters expect at least one marquee addition once group-stage qualification is sealed.

Final word on Celtic transfers 2025

At roughly the halfway mark of the window, Rodgers has addressed glaring weaknesses while future-proofing key areas. Competition for places is healthier, and crucially, no departure has derailed the core identity of high-pressing, possession-centric football.

Opinion

Celtic’s approach feels smarter than in recent summers: calculated risks backed by data rather than scattergun punts. If Diego Moreira adapts quickly and Schmidt shores up set-piece frailties, the Hoops could marry domestic dominance with genuine European progress—proof that prudent spending can still be ambitious.