Celtic to revisit £5m forward who 'ticks every box' as key Rangers star 'impresses' Premier League side

After the nail-biting Scottish League Cup final saw Celtic emerge victorious from the penalty shootout, the Old Firm sides are back in action this weekend as the Scottish Premiership returns. Looking to continue as the only club in the division yet to lose a match, the Hoops will travel to take on Dundee United this Sunday.

Meanwhile, Rangers, who will be disappointed not to come away with last weekend’s silverware, are up against Dundee in their last home fixture of 2024. With just a handful of games to go until the new year, we’ve rounded up the latest transfer news as the January window quickly approaches.

£5m winger target ‘ticks all boxes’ for Celtic

Celtic remain interested in signing Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Antwerp in 2025 after a failed move over the summer. The 23-year-old, who prefers to operate on the left-wing, was a top target on Brendan Rodgers’ wish list during the last window but a ‘serious muscle injury’ kept him out of action.

Antwerp CEO Sven Jaecques has confirmed that Celtic are continuing to negotiate over a potential deal as the focus shifts onto a January acquisition, via Daily Mail.

“Two clubs [Celtic and Rennes] kept negotiating to possibly still bring him in,” Jaecques said. “But, in the meantime, we know that such clubs will rather focus on January anyway. He must now return as soon and as fit as possible and then we will see what happens.”

Balikwisha had been sidelined for a significant amount of time but Antwerp are now ‘keen to do business again’, according to the report. His contract is due to expire in 2026 and with a £5 million asking price over his head, he ‘ticks every box’ from a Celtic perspective.

Everton ‘very impressed’ by Rangers star

Hamza Igamane has reportedly caught the eye of Everton after club scouts were in attendance for Rangers’ 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. According to TBR Football, the Toffees have a ‘strong admiration’ for the 22-year-old as they consider options to bulk out their own attack.

Igamane scored against Spurs during their Europa League clash to deny the Premier League side a victory at Ibrox and his performance left Everton ‘very impressed’.

Sean Dyche is looking for new options in his attacking line as the Blues have struggled in front of goal this season compared to others in the league. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is not expected to sign a new contract, meaning he will leave the club next summer. Meanwhile, Beto could leave as early as January, leaving Dyche with a depleted front line just three points above the relegation zone.