Celtic locked in three-way transfer battle with Wolfsburg and Ajax for goalkeeper with £4.3m release clause
In-demand German shot-stopper will reportedly make a decision on his future next week
Celtic-linked goalkeeper Tjark Ernst will make a final decision on his future early next week - with the Scottish champions competing against Wolfsburg and Dutch giants Ajax for his signature.
The Hertha Berlin shot-stopper emerged on the Hoops’ transfer radar over the weekend, but reports in Germany claim that second-tier Wolfsburg are currently in pole position to sign the 23-year-old and are ready to offer him a lucrative five-year deal to move to Lower Saxony.
Bundesliga 2. outfit Berlin are also said to be keen on tying the gloveman - , who kept 12 clean sheets in 37 appearances across all competitions last season - down on a new long-term contract but that seems unlikely at this stage with one year remaining on his current deal.
Celtic are in the market for a new keeper after veteran Kasper Schmeichel announced his retirement last season due to a shoulder injury, leaving Viljami Sinisalo to fill the number one position with Ross Doohan serving as back-up.
The Parkhead club are exploring a number of different options to increase competition in a key area and have joined the battle for highly-regarded former German youth international Ernst, who will weigh up his next step before deciding where his immediate future lies.
Celtic have already been linked with moves for Nikolas Polster of Wolfsberger AC and Daniel Iversen of Preston North End, while LKS Lodz star Aleksander Bobek is also said to be on their shortlist.
Ernst has a release clause of £4.3m - but that only applies to clubs in Europe’s top five leagues. Given the Scottish Premiership doesn’t feature, the Parkhead club could hope to sign him for lower than that figure.
Celtic’s goalkeeping department requires reinforcement
With Sinisalo and Doohan the only senior goalkeepers on the club’s books at present, Celtic’s recruitment team are prioritising the addition of an experienced goalkeeper to compete for the number one position for the new season.