Martin O’Neill has confirmed that Bodø/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh is due to undergo a Celtic medical within 24 hours, bringing the club’s reported club-record £11m move to the brink of completion.
As reported by BBC Sport, O’Neill addressed the deal directly after Saturday’s 2-2 pre-season draw with AC Milan at Celtic Park, offering the clearest confirmation yet that the move for the 25-year-old Denmark international is in its final stages. When pressed on whether Hogh was about to have a medical, the Celtic manager was unambiguous: yes, apparently so, and it would happen within the next 24 hours.
O’Neill tempered the announcement with the caution you’d expect – nothing is signed and sealed, things can still be up in the air – but the direction of travel could hardly be clearer. Since taking charge at Celtic Park, he has spoken consistently about the need to strengthen, and this is the statement signing the window has been building toward.
A Career That Demanded Attention
Hogh’s path to Celtic has been anything but straightforward. Released to second-tier Hobro after an injury-hit spell at Randers, then loaned to Valur in Iceland, he was hardly on anyone’s shortlist for a club-record move. The turnaround came at Stabaek, where he scored eight goals in 14 games and earned a permanent deal, before Bodø/Glimt moved for him in January 2024.
What followed was exceptional. He finished as Glimt’s top scorer with 12 goals as they retained the Norwegian title, then contributed seven Europa League goals to make him the competition’s joint top marksman as the club reached the semi-finals. This past season brought 17 domestic goals, and in January he scored twice in a 3-1 Champions League win over Manchester City before netting again in a 2-1 victory at Atlético Madrid. You don’t rack up numbers like that by accident.
Filling the Maeda-Shaped Gap
The timing of this deal is no coincidence. Celtic’s recruitment this summer has operated under real pressure, and the sale of Daizen Maeda to Ipswich Town sharpened the urgency considerably. Camilo Duran has made an encouraging start – three goals in three warm-up games – but a proven, physical centre-forward who can lead the line in the Champions League qualifiers was the clear priority.
O’Neill also confirmed Celtic have other deals in the pipeline, and the reported interest in Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur remains live, though the manager said he genuinely cannot confirm that one yet. With other transfer business also at a decisive stage, the squad is beginning to take meaningful shape ahead of the competitive season.
Get the medical done, get the pen on the paper. Mon The Hoops.
