Norwegian journalist Freddy Toresen has revealed that Bodo/Glimt were keen on signing Joel Mvuka during the January window, before his eventual transfer to Celtic…
However, the winger’s move to Glasgow has proven to be a major disappointment, with his time at the club failing to meet expectations in any meaningful way.
In fact, the most notable aspect of the deal may be the complications surrounding his medical, which led Celtic to renegotiate the terms of what was initially a £3 million permanent transfer.
Adding to the frustration, Mvuka could have been part of a side competing in Champions League knockout fixtures had he chosen a different path.
Speaking on the Studio Glimt Podcast this week, Toresen explained: “There were some really strong rumours, in certain hush-hush circles about a month ago, that Bodo/Glimt wanted to bring Joel Mvuka back from Lorient. He ended up at Celtic.”
“And almost before I could start digging into it, I confronted Håvard Sakariassen about this rumour I had heard in Spain. The only answer I got was “calm, calm, calm.”
“He didn’t confirm anything, but I think he said it because he probably had a gut feeling that Mvuka wouldn’t end up at Bodo/Glimt, but at Celtic… It’s at least a matter that was there in January-February, but he had signed for Celtic before I finished researching”.
Mvuka is no stranger to Bodo/Glimt, having spent two years with the Norwegian club earlier in his career before earning a move to French side Lorient.
He also featured briefly as a substitute when Bodo/Glimt recorded a 3-1 victory over the Hoops at Celtic Park in 2022 during Ange Postecoglou’s tenure.
Following his arrival in Glasgow, Mvuka was handed an immediate start against Dundee in the Scottish Cup, but his debut was cut short as he was substituted at half-time after struggling to make an impact.
He was subsequently omitted from the matchday squad for four consecutive fixtures by Martin O’Neill, before making a return in Celtic’s Scottish Cup triumph at Ibrox, where he failed to impress.
Celtic were set to pay £3m for Joel Mvuka in January before a long-standing medical issue was identified. A loan deal was quickly agreed as an alternative as the clock clicked down before the closure of the January window. It seems highly unlikely that Celtic will complete the transfer in the summer so the player could be heading back to Norway if the Bodo/Glimt interest remains.
Conor Spence
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Who is responsible for signing these crocs. World class board wasting Celtic fans money.hh. gtf.