With one eye on the Scottish Premiership and another on the transfer market, Celtic could reportedly move to sign a Premier League midfielder worth just £15m for Brendan Rodgers in 2025.
Celtic transfer news
The Bhoys have barely missed a beat in the current campaign, despite losing star man Matt O’Riley to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer. The Dane’s exit dealt the Scottish champions a major blow and forced them to bid farewell to yet another talent to the Premier League following the likes of Kieran Tierney a number of years ago.
Those at Celtic Park could yet fall victim to their own success once more in 2025 too, with Nicolas Kuhn recently linked to Premier League side Crystal Palace. A man in form, Kuhn would be following in O’Riley’s footsteps by starring at Celtic before swapping Scotland for England’s first tier.
It’s a trend that the Bhoys should be desperate to bring to an end and reverse by welcoming a Premier League talent of their own. According to Caught Offside, Celtic could now make a move to sign Wataru Endo from Liverpool in a deal worth €15-18m (£12-15m) next year. The Japan international reportedly wants out at Anfield amid his struggle for game time, potentially presenting Celtic with an ideal opportunity.
They’re not the only side reportedly interested, however. Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town are also eyeing a move for the Liverpool midfielder in a busy race for his signature, which looks destined to end in an Anfield departure.
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Now 31 years old, Endo has fulfilled his role at Liverpool better than most expected and is now playing a lesser role thanks to the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch. If Celtic is to be next for the midfielder, then the Bhoys could be getting a player who may ease into the Scottish Premiership.
“Machine” Endo would be impressive coup
Although struggling for game time at Liverpool, Endo could slot straight into Celtic’s midfield alongside fellow Japan star Reo Hatate to take the Bhoys up yet another level at the heart of Rodgers’ side. If Rodgers did welcome Endo, meanwhile, then he will be signing a player who Jurgen Klopp loved in his final season at Liverpool.
Speaking to reporters after a young Liverpool side defeated Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final last season, Klopp said via Sqawka: “I’m pretty sure in three [or] four years Wataru will sign another long-term contract at Liverpool just because he might be 30 or 31 on his passport but he’s not.
“He’s a machine. He is footballing-wise exceptional. His defensive brain is outstanding. He gives us a lot of freedom for a lot of things. Yeah, top development. Very helpful, very helpful.”
For the price of £15m, Celtic may need to act quickly to win the race for Endo ahead of Premier League sides and, in doing so, reverse the trend of top talents swapping Scotland for England.
