Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be keen to reshuffle his squad once the summer window rolls around at Parkhead.
In the January market period, the Irishman moved to trim the likes of David Turnbull, Mikey Johnston and Hyeokkyu Kwon from his squad. However, the latter two will return to Lennoxtown once their loan agreements expire.
Nevertheless, changes are set to alter what has become a familiar group of faces. One man who is certain to leave the club is Joe Hart, who has decided to retire from football at the end of this campaign.
Candidates to replace the Englishman have emerged in media circles, such as RC Waalwijk goalkeeper Ettiene Vaessen and Trabzonspor stopper Ugurcan Cakir; nevertheless, it must be stressed that they appear to be nothing more than rumours at this point.
Further up the pitch, loanee Paulo Bernardo’s situation gained some air time last weekend amid his stunning goal away to Livingston.
The Portugal Under-21 international has shown glimpses of his potential since joining from Benfica last year. Regardless, it remains to be seen whether Celtic activate his buyout clause, which is speculated to be around £6.4 million.
Adam Idah is another individual who doesn’t have public clarity over his future at the Hoops, and he chimed in with an assist against the Lions for Matt O’Riley’s 82nd-minute strike.
Celtic battle Premier League trio to sign Jake Clarke-Salter
According to The Sun, Celtic are locked in a battle with Premier League trio Crystal Palace, Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign Queens Park Rangers defender Jake Clarke-Salter.
The 26-year-old has also attracted interest from Sky Bet Championship outfit Ipswich Town, who could potentially earn promotion to the English top-flight this term.
Capped 12 times by England at Under-21 level, Clarke-Salter has made 29 appearances for QPR in the league this season, registering a solitary goal [Transfermarkt].
Formerly of Chelsea’s academy, he is under contract at Loftus Road until 2026, and it is unclear how much Celtic would need to pay to prize him away from West London.
Clarke-Salter would be a solid addition for Celtic
Providing a solid base for QPR, Clarke-Salter has impressed in the English second tier this season, recording an average of 2.1 tackles won, 4.3 clearances and 4.1 ball recoveries per league match [Sofascore].
Intriguingly, he is also a left-footed centre-back, which is a desired profile in the modern game; nevertheless, if we were to swoop for the Carshalton-born man, questions over the future of Liam Scales would continue to grow amid his contract stalemate at Parkhead.
Either way, despite failing to settle in the early part of his career, Clarke-Salter has finally started to flourish at Loftus Road and appears on paper to be a viable option for Rodgers to bolster his defensive line.