Celtic miss out on Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs

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The Celtic Star

·16 luglio 2025

Celtic miss out on Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs

If Forbs is the calibre of player Celtic is after then that at least is a good sign that we’re moving in the right direction in the summer transfer window…

Carlos Forbs (R) of Ajax in action against Mihai Butean (L) of Vojvodina during the UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round 2nd leg match between FK Vojvodina and FC Ajax at TSC Arena on August 01, 2024 in Backa Topola, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano last night reported on a transfer that whilst not directly concerning Celtic in the incoming stage, it gave a hint as to what calibre of player we are willing to recruit, and how much money we are prepared to sanction.

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Carlos Forbs, a 21 year old Portuguese winger who starred for Ajax has opted to sign for Belgian side Club Brugge for a fee of around €8.5 million (£7.3 million), so what has that got to do with Celtic you may well ask? Well like some tidy crypto sportsbook bonuses, Celtic have apparently offered to spend that sort of money on Carlos Forbs, among a number of other clubs in Italy and England, before the player opted for a move to Belgium.

Well Fabrizio Romano stated that Carlos Forbs declined offers from Italy, England and SCOTLAND to instead move to Club Brugge.

Brendan Rodgers manager of Celtic meets fans before the game Cork City v Celtic, Pre Season Friendly, Football, SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh, Cork, Ireland – 0 Jul 2025Cork SuperValu Pairc Ui Chaoimh Ireland Photo Lorraine O’Sullivan Shutterstock

Romano doesn’t state these things unless he has been fully briefed of the facts and those come from one of the parties involved in the deal, usually the player’s agent. He may have just stated SCOTLAND rather than naming the club, but Celtic is the only club in our country capable of putting in an offer of that kind, despite our Glasgow rivals boasting of unlimited wealth. The reality is that we are at least trying to operate in a different level in the transfer market, but so far it’s yet to yield any fruit.

Our recent activity on recruitment front has been slightly concerning, but the fact that we are pursing players such as Forbs is a good sign as our search for new recruits intensifies.

Jota is assisted by Reo Hatate. Celtic Champions 2025. Dundee United v Celtic, 26 April 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Celtic recently sold Nicolas Kuhn to Italian side Como for £17m and sold Kyogo to Rennes in January for £10m. Brendan Rodgers has insisted that his side is now short in quality and numbers as a result and when you add the ACL injury to Jota that will keep him sidelined until next year, then the need for new arrives such as Carlos Forbs is quite apparent.

Celtic though will face multiple rivals in every deal that they are pursuing an as they work their way down their list and the clock is ticking.

Peter Lawwell, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay watch on during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The draw for Celtic’s Champions League play-off is on Monday, 4 August The first leg of the play-off will then take place on Tuesday, 19 August or 20 Wednesday, and the return tie will be played the following week, on Tuesday, 26 August or Wednesday, 27 August. This tie is worth upwards of £30m to Celtic and the loss of prestige at failing to be in the Champions League this season would make future recruitment pursuits even more difficult than it is already.

Best of luck to Carlos Forbs at his new club in Belgium what what an opportunity he’s passed up on rejecting the chance to play his football at Paradise for the finest team in Scotland.

🚨🔵⚫️ Carlos Forbs is set to join Club Brugge from Ajax, here we go! Deal done for €8.5m fee. The player is traveling to Belgium tonight ahead of his medical tomorrow. Forbs opted for the Brugge project over offers from England, Italy and Scotland.
– martedì 15 luglio 2025