Celtic and Rangers Brace for Summer Changes

Celtic and Rangers are braced for a summer of change on and off the pitch, with transfer lines crackling across Europe and old faces still shaping the story.

Celtic juggle arrivals, departures and interest in key men

Celtic have opened talks with Brondby over midfielder Benjamin Tahirovic, the 23-year-old Bosnia and Herzegovina international emerging as a live target as the champions look to refresh the middle of the park. Early contact has been made, a signal that Celtic are prepared to move decisively if the numbers work.

At the same time, one of their own midfielders is drawing attention from England. Arne Engels, 22, is on the radar of Fulham, Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, with all three clubs stepping up their interest. For a Celtic squad already facing a summer of recalibration, serious bids for a young midfielder would pose a sharp decision: cash in or build around him.

There could be more pressure to come. Jackie McNamara, never shy of an opinion on his former club, has warned that Celtic should be ready for offers for Alistair Johnston. The Canada right-back, 27, has grown into a key figure and, in a market starved of reliable full-backs, his profile is only rising. Celtic may yet have to defend their flanks off the pitch as well as on it.

McNamara has also reserved praise for Martin O'Neill after last season’s domestic double, achieved against a backdrop of persistent injuries. The former defender has highlighted the resilience and structure O'Neill imposed as Celtic ground their way through a campaign that could easily have unravelled.

O'Neill, 74, has since been spotted at Glasgow Airport, with expectations that he will remain in charge next season. No grand statement, no fanfare. Just a veteran manager quietly preparing for another tilt at trophies, and another round of scrutiny over how he evolves an already successful side.

One player who will not be part of that evolution is Stephen Welsh. The centre-back, 26, is closing in on a move to Swansea City after his contract expired following a loan at Motherwell. He has agreed a two-year deal with the Championship club, who hold an option for a further year. For Welsh, it is a chance to reset his career in England; for Celtic, another reminder that the squad that delivered silverware is being steadily reshaped.

Rangers retool as Tavernier succession looms

Across the city, Rangers are confronting one of the most significant rebuilds in recent memory, with the right-back position at the heart of it.

Bryan Reynolds has emerged as a concrete target. Westerlo are open to selling the 24-year-old American, whose contract runs out next year, and are hoping for a decent fee before he walks away for nothing. Rangers see the United States international, who missed out on their World Cup squad, as one of several options to succeed James Tavernier.

Replacing Tavernier, the captain and set-piece specialist, is not a one-player job. But Reynolds’ profile — athletic, modern, attacking — fits the template of a club that has built much of its recent identity around an adventurous right-back.

Elsewhere in midfield, Hull City and Middlesbrough are circling Dan Neil. The 24-year-old is leaving Sunderland and has already held discussions with Rangers. Hull are weighing up a move, while Boro also remain keen, leaving Rangers in a three-way tug-of-war for a player whose energy and age make him an attractive piece for any Championship or Scottish giant rebuild.

One area where Rangers are far less willing to bend is in goal. Jack Butland, 33, is drawing interest from Premier League clubs as a back-up option, but Rangers have no plans to sell. Given the churn elsewhere in the squad, holding onto a settled, high-performing goalkeeper looks non-negotiable.

Leicester turn to a familiar figure

The ripples from Scotland stretch south. Leicester City, reeling from relegation to League One, are in talks with Russell Martin over their vacant head coach role. The former Southampton and Rangers boss is known for a possession-heavy, structured style, and Leicester are exploring whether he is the man to steer them through the most sobering reset the club has faced in years.

From Glasgow to the East Midlands, the theme is the same: big clubs at a crossroads, forced to make hard calls on talent, identity and ambition. The next few weeks will reveal who is bold enough to lean into change—and who gets left behind by it.