The transfer saga surrounding Kasper Hogh is on the brink of reaching its climax as Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has confirmed that the Bodo/Glimt striker will undergo a medical with the club within the next 24 hours. The £11 million deal, reportedly a club-record fee, has been months in the making and now looks tantalisingly close to completion.
O'Neill dropped the bombshell following Celtic's 2-2 draw with AC Milan at Celtic Park on Saturday, hinting that Hogh could be about to don the Hoops. When quizzed on the progress of the deal, he revealed, "Yes, I'm hoping that that will happen. I think there's a good chance of it." But O'Neill was quick to inject some caution into the mix, adding, "But, until someone's actually signed and sealed, there might be things still up in the air, but it's certainly progressing."
The news comes at a crucial juncture for Celtic, with the recent departure of fan favourite Daizen Maeda to Ipswich Town putting pressure on O'Neill to bring in fresh talent ahead of the new season. The sale of the Japan international was a blow, and Hogh's potential arrival would be seen as a direct response to that void.
Celtic have already signed one player this summer in Colombian forward Camilo Duran, who has made an impressive start with three goals in three pre-season matches. There are also reports linking the club with Paderborn midfielder Mika Baur, but O'Neill remained tight-lipped on the matter, saying simply, "That, I genuinely can't tell you." Despite the uncertainty surrounding Baur's potential move, O'Neill hinted at more signings to come, stating, "We've got a few other things in the pipeline that might come to fruition, which would be great for us."
Hogh's arrival would represent a significant coup for Celtic as they look to strengthen their squad and maintain their dominance of Scottish football. With European competition also on the horizon, the Danish international's experience and goalscoring prowess would be a major boost to O'Neill's team.