Celtic have identified Dara O’Shea and Michel-Ange Balikwisha as their top two targets for this summer, according to the Daily Mail.
The Hoops earned their 11th Scottish League title in 12 years as well as a Scottish Cup last season but are keen to bolster their squad as they look to improve their form in Europe as they prepare for the Champions League.
Manager Brendan Rodgers wants to strengthen his defence and attacking departments and the Burnley and Royal Antwerp stars have now emerged as the main targets that club chiefs want to bring in ahead of the new season.
Celtic Want Business Done Before Season Begins
Rodgers outlined demands in board meeting
With nine days remaining before the beginning of the Scottish Premiership season, there is a race against time for the club to get their business done.
Rodgers has already added Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo to his goalkeeper department after the retirement of Joe Hart and sale of Benjamin Siegrist, but he wants to add far more to the squad with some exits expected.
And the boss admitted during the club’s pre-season tour of the USA that he has held talks with the club hierarchy about getting deals done and revealed he is confident of the players he wants being Celtic players before the window ends.
Burnley defender O’Shea – who was praised for his “unbelievable” rise by former manager Slaven Bilic – has emerged as the top defensive target after his side’s relegation from the Premier League, with the Republic of Ireland international a key player for the Clarets and described previously as an “excellent” defender.
They aren’t willing to sell him easily though after splashing out £7million to sign him from West Brom last year, but the Hoops are confident that the lure of Champions League football will be enough to seal a deal.
Balikwisha, who has been dubbed a “high-level dribbler” in the past, is likely to be used as a replacement for South Korea international Hyeon-Gu Oh who signed for KRC Genk earlier in the window.
Matt O’Riley Race Hots Up
Celtic have rejected bids for the midfield star
Any deal for those top targets could be funded by the sale of midfield star Matt O’Riley, who is a top target for Atalanta and Premier League new boys Southampton.
The Serie A club have made two bids for the Denmark international while Southampton have made a £14million offer for the 23-year-old, but Celtic are holding firm and have rejected all offers as they hold out for a club-record fee to let him leave.
Former loanee Paulo Bernardo is also a target at Parkhead with a deal agreed with Benfica, although talks have stalled over personal terms, while Rodgers would also like to sign Adam Idah permanently from Norwich after his successful spell at the club last season.
