Birmingham City player turns 'leading target' for Celtic this summer transfer window but competition rife
The Blues midfielder is currently on loan at high-flying Hearts
Celtic are reportedly in the hunt for Birmingham City loanee Marc Leonard as the Hearts midfielder becomes a ‘leading target’ for the Hoops.
The 24-year old made his short-term switch from St Andrews to Tynecastle in January and is set to return at the end of the season. Jambos midfield mainstay Cammy Devlin has been sidelined through injury for long periods since Leonard’s arrival, however the Scotsman has been a more than capable replacement. His quality from set plays and midfield dynamism have helped Hearts stay top of the table.
Leonard still has two years left on his contract at Birmingham, who helped win promotion from EFL League One last season with a record-breaking 111 points total, however he would still be available for a transfer if the price was right. With the outside noise surrounding Celtic midfielder Arne Engels increasing in decibels from Nottingham Forest, the middle of the park may be an area Celtic need to strengthen in the transfer window.
Hearts man becomes Celtic’s ‘leading target’
According to Football Insider: “Marc Leonard has emerged as a leading target for Celtic ahead of the summer transfer window as he prepares to leave Hearts. The 24-year-old has spent the second half of the season on loan with the Jambos from Birmingham City, and could be snapped up after he returns to the English club.”
Despite being a player Blues boss and former Celtic assistant Chris Davies admires, Leonard wasn’t getting enough game time at St Andrews, which led to the Hearts switch. He has since made 12 appearances for Derek McInnes’ side and is now knocking on the door for a Scotland call-up in Steve Clarke’s World Cup squad. Before Birmingham, he previously came through the ranks at Brighton and Hove Albion.
While Celtic may be tempted to pursue Leonard in the summer, they will also have to be wary of competition for him, that is if Birmingham are willing to move him on. The Blues, who have former Celts Kyogo Furuhashi, Patrick Roberts and Tomoko Iwata in their ranks, finished mid-table in the Championship this season and will be on the on the hunt for promotion going into the 2026/27 campaign.
Potential Engels replacement identified
Engels was the subject of a rejected £25m bid from Forest on Deadline Day, however the Reds aren’t done in their pursuit. Serie A side Lazio and Bundesliga giants RB Leipzig are also interested in the 22-year old and could bid for him in the summer. Celtic gambled by signing Engels for a club record fee of £11m from Augsburg in 2024, which now looks as if it’s going to pay off, as his recent performances will have done no harm to his price tag.
With Leonard’s energy off the ball, as well as his accuracy from dead-ball situations, while he is slightly older than Engels, he could make an ideal replacement if the Belgian was to move on as Celtic must now prepare for potential bidding wars on two fronts.
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