Idah called back to Glasgow. Dolberg and Balikwisha can steady Celtic ship | OneFootball

Adam Idah looks set to bring his Celtic chapter to a close, with reports confirming he said his goodbyes at Lennoxtown yesterday and – rumour has it – underwent a medical yesterday ahead of a move to Swansea City…

Brendan Rodgers manager of Celtic talks with their players before being substituted on Kairat Almaty v Celtic, UEFA Champions League, Play-Off Round, Second Leg, Football, Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan – 26 Aug 2025Almaty Almaty Central Stadium Kazakhstan Photo Nikita Bassov/Shutterstock

That perhaps all but rules him out of Sunday’s Glasgow Derby at Ibrox, a blow for Brendan Rodgers’ preparations but one the club seems to be attempting to mitigate.

The replacement plan appears underway. Sky Sports have backed up last night’s reports linking Celtic with Danish international Kasper Dolberg, confirming that Celtic and Anderlecht have been in further talks, having broached the subject earlier in the window.

Here’s what Anthony Joseph had to say –

‘UPDATE: Celtic are in talks to sign Anderlecht striker Kasper Dolberg. The Hoops explored the conditions of a deal earlier this month and were quoted a price of around £10m. However, the Belgian club are open to negotiation after being knocked out of Europe last night.’

Then this from the reliable Sky Sports man:

‘A frantic Friday for Celtic transfer news… Idah £7m deal agreed to Swansea. He heads down, completes medical & finalises terms, while Celtic make progress on Dolberg talks. As of 9pm today, Celtic still have no agreement on Dolberg and Idah has been called back up to Glasgow.’

Como, Italy, 24th July 2025. Adam Idah of Celtic reacts during the Ajax vs Celtic Pre Season Friendly match at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como. Photo: Jonathan Moscrop / Sportimage

Much like the recent move for Michel-Ange Balikwisha, this could prove to be a shrewd piece of business – provided it gets over the line, and the urgency is apparent with Brendan Rodgers stating at his media conference yesterday afternoon that Idah will NOT be allowed to leave until at least one striker has actually been signed.

So it’s anybody’s guess whether the Ireland international centre forward will be on the Celtic team bus tomorrow morning making the short journey to Ibrox.

AEK Athens v RSC Anderlecht – UEFA Conference League ATHENS, GREECE – AUGUST 28 : Kasper Dolberg forward of RSC Anderlecht with a laser in his eyes during the UEFA Conference League 2025/26 play-off round second leg between AEK Athens and RSC Anderlecht on August 28, 2025 in Athens, Greece, 28/08/2025 Athens Greece. Photo IMAGO Jan De Meuleneir

Of course, for many fans the frustration lingers that such transfer activity is coming too late to rescue Celtic’s Champions League ambitions. Missing out on that £40m prize pot is a hard pill to swallow, especially now as reinforcements finally arrive. But that isn’t on Dolberg or Balikwisha – and the pair could yet play key roles in reshaping Celtic’s attack for the season ahead.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic reacts to missing an opportunity Kairat Almaty v Celtic, UEFA Champions League, Play-Off Round, Second Leg, Football, Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan – 26 Aug just 2025Almaty Almaty Central Stadium Kazakhstan Photo Nikita Bassov/Shutterstock

One worry some supporters will share, however, is whether pressing the button on Dolberg could be linked to Daizen Maeda’s future. Rumours of a firm bid or the player pushing for a move remain little more than speculation at this stage, but the concern won’t go away entirely until the window closes.

What the club needs is for the version of Daizen Maeda from earlier this year to return, hopefully starting tomorrow.

AEK Athens v RSC Anderlecht – UEFA Conference League ATHENS, GREECE – AUGUST 28 : Dolberg Kasper forward of RSC Anderlecht in action during the UEFA Conference League 2025 26 play-off round second leg between AEK Athens and RSC Anderlecht on August 28, 2025 in Athens, Greece, 28 08 2025 Athens Greece Photo: IMAGO Jan De Meuleneir

Dolberg himself is certainly an intriguing prospect. At 27, he is in his peak years and has consistently scored goals across top European leagues. From Ajax, Nice and Anderlecht to his international career with Denmark, his numbers are good – 118 goals in 309 club appearances and 12 in 55 caps for his country. He’s also delivered on the European stage with seven goals in 23 continental fixtures at Europa League level, where Celtic found out their opponents yesterday, and it provided an exciting draw…

There are some question marks – notably a goalless run in 13 Champions League appearances, plus quiet spells at Sevilla and Hoffenheim. Yet it’s worth remembering that few careers follow an uninterrupted upward curve. More often than not, it’s a matter of fit.

And Dolberg’s technical ability, tactical intelligence and clinical finishing make him look well suited to Brendan Rodgers’ system.

Financially, this could also prove a smart move. Anderlecht are thought to be under pressure to raise funds, which may leave Celtic well placed to strike a deal around the reported £8m fee, with Anthony Joseph stating Celtic’s first approach was met with a £10m price tag.

With Idah likely to be heading out in a package that could rise to £7m, and Balikwisha already added to the squad, Celtic’s late business has the potential to look impressive – even if it came too late to alter the Champions League outcome. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

The Champions League is gone and focus now turns to the season ahead. Celtic must embrace the Europa League campaign and, most importantly, the title race that lies in front of them. With Kyogo departed, Jota sidelined and Nicolas Kühn moving on to Como, the frontline has required urgent attention. Dolberg, if signed, would bring proven pedigree, international experience, and – crucially – goals.

For all the frustrations of timing, this is exactly the kind of addition Celtic have been crying out for. If the club can get Dolberg through the door and perhaps add one or two more, Rodgers will finally have the attacking options he needs. Better late than never? Well, I’m certainly not at the acceptance stage of Champions League grief just yet, but it is a start.

Brendan Rodgers manager of Celtic Kairat Almaty v Celtic, UEFA Champions League, Play-Off Round, Second Leg, Football, Almaty Central Stadium, Almaty, Kazakhstan – 26 Aug 2025Almaty Almaty Central Stadium Kazakhstan Photo Nikita Bassov/Shutterstock

A proven striker however could be more than just a signing – it could also be something of a tonic we all need after the costly embarrassment earlier this week. Surely Celtic needs to get the Dolberg signing over the line today? Time may be against them but they’ve had since the end of January to sign Kyogo’s replacement have they not?

Niall J

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