A flurry of transfer links are beginning to paint a picture of where Celtic’s recruitment focus lies this summer – and there are some genuinely interesting names in the mix.

With the season still alive and the squad in clear need of reshaping after one of the most turbulent campaigns in recent memory, it’s no surprise that the rumour mill is already turning at full speed. Martin O’Neill has already warned that Celtic are facing a major squad overhaul this summer, and a new roundup via Mirror Football identifies five areas where reinforcements could arrive. Let’s go through them.

The backdrop to all of this is a season that has featured three managers across four stints, a title race that somehow remains alive, and a squad that has been carried on willpower more than quality for large chunks of the campaign. The rebuild isn’t cosmetic – it’s structural.

Goalkeeper – Nikolas Polster

Kasper Schmeichel is facing up to a year out after suffering a torn bicep, torn rotator cuff, dislocated shoulder and torn labrum – and with his 40th birthday on the horizon, that’s likely his Celtic career over. Viljami Sinisalo has done well stepping in, but the club appear to be looking at longer-term competition for that position, and the Daily Mail has linked them with Wolfsberger AC’s 23-year-old Nikolas Polster.

The comparisons to Manuel Neuer and Jan Oblak feel generous at this stage, let’s be honest, but at £1.7m via Transfermarkt and with Wolfsberger hovering two points above relegation, the logic of a move makes sense for all parties. I wouldn’t rush to anoint him the next great Celtic keeper, but at that price, the risk is entirely manageable. Championship-bound Wolves are also reportedly interested, so there’s no time to dawdle if this is a genuine target.

Midfielder – Marc Leonard (Hearts)

This one is intriguing on multiple levels. Leonard has been instrumental for Hearts since arriving on loan from Birmingham City in January, and the fact that he’s been doing it for our closest title challengers makes the scouting exercise a very natural one. Celtic have prior form doing business with Birmingham – the Tomoki Iwata deal being the most obvious example – which could help grease the wheels of any negotiation.

He’s valued at just under £1m and has two years left on his contract. A seven-figure fee should be enough to get it done. For a player already acclimatised to the Scottish Premiership and clearly comfortable with the pressure of a title race, that represents excellent value. I’d get this one moving early.

Centre-back – George Campbell (West Brom)

The defensive situation this season has been crying out for a right-footed centre-half. With Cameron Carter-Vickers losing his entire campaign to an Achilles injury sustained in October, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales – both left-footed – have carried an enormous burden. George Campbell, a 24-year-old USA international at West Brom, is the name being linked to fix that imbalance.

Reports suggest around £2.5m would be enough to prise him away, with three years still on his contract. Celtic’s Champions League prospects this summer will be a significant pull factor in conversations like this one, and it’s worth noting that Serie A clubs are also reportedly in the picture – so the club will need to act decisively as plans are being firmed up. At that price for a senior international, it’s a deal Celtic should look to get done.

Midfielder – Soufiane El-Faouzi (Schalke)

This is the big-money one. Sky Germany report that Celtic are among the clubs interested in the 23-year-old Schalke midfielder, who carries a £10.3m price tag. Brentford, Bologna, Rennes and Sunderland are also keen, so the competition is real. With Arne Engels attracting attention from Nottingham Forest and RB Leipzig, and potential exits also mooted for Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo, the midfield could look very different come August.

El-Faouzi’s experience in German football is a genuine selling point, and at 23 he fits the profile of player Celtic have been targeting – young, with upside, and hungry for a step up. The fee is the sticking point. It’s not outrageous in the wider market, but it’s a significant outlay for us. I’d want to see the club committing to that level of spend before getting too excited.

Striker – Barney Stewart (Falkirk)

Twelve goals and 16 goal involvements in the Scottish Premiership this season, valued at just over £430,000 – and his journey started at Heriot-Watt University. Barney Stewart is the kind of story Scottish football occasionally throws up, and Celtic would be daft not to at least take a proper look. With Kelechi Iheanacho’s one-year deal running out and question marks over whether Daizen Maeda will still be here next season, the number nine position is genuinely wide open.

Stewart won’t be the finished article – he’s 22 and still developing – but at that price, you’re buying potential with a proven nose for goal at this level. As Celtic continue to scout value-driven options across multiple positions this summer, this one ticks a lot of boxes. A steal if it comes off.

Taken together, this list suggests Celtic are approaching the window with a clear eye on age profile, budget efficiency and positional balance. There’s nothing here that screams vanity signing or panic buy – which, given recent history, is actually reassuring. Whether the club can convert scouting interest into signed players before rivals move in is the real question, and on that front the summer cannot come quickly enough.

Get it right in the window and we’re back where we belong. Simple as that.

Conor Spence