Celtic have reportedly just made £3.5m move which could be very bad news for Newcastle
One way or another, Ryan Fraser needs to leave Newcastle United this summer.
The winger is one of three players who Newcastle are desperately trying to get rid of before the transfer window closes. The other two are Isaac Hayden and Jeff Hendrick, who the club are yet to receive any offers for.
They are all training away from the first-team, with Eddie Howe making the decision that he absolutely does not need them.
Now Dan Ashworth is trying to find a new home for them, which is proving to be rather difficult.
Fraser has been linked with a move to Celtic, with Brendan Rodgers interested in bringing the 29-year-old to Parkhead. He is eager to sign another winger before the transfer window closes, with Celtic also eyeing Daniel Podence from Wolves.
However, now Celtic have another target in mind, and have made a move that could seriously hurt Newcastle’s hopes of sending Fraser to Glasgow.
Celtic launch bid for Luis Palma
According to Greek journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos, Celtic have made a bid worth £3.5million for Luis Palma.
He is a Honduran winger who plays for Aris Thessaloniki, where he scored 11 goals last season.
The report states Aris are seriously considering the offer and that it is very close to their valuation of the 23-year-old.
That is excellent news for Celtic, but not so good for Newcastle. If the Hoops are able to complete a deal for Palma, you have to imagine that will end their pursuit of Fraser.
And from a Celtic perspective, a deal for Palma would make much more sense. He is six years younger than Fraser, after all.
It would be sensible for the Scottish champions to go for the younger prospect rather than the man who has not played a competitive game since October and has been training with the Newcastle reserves since February.
Time is running out for Newcastle to get rid of Fraser, and one option might disappear if Celtic complete a deal for Palma instead. The Magpies do at least have an alternative, as Serie A side Empoli are reportedly keen on bringing Fraser in on loan.
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Hibs hammering from Aston Villa is a Champions League warning for Celtic
Hibs got battered 5-0 yesterday by Aston Villa at Easter Road in the first leg of their Conference League play-off. Anyone with a knowledge of football will have seen that one coming, even your most optimistic Hibbee will have known the same.
That’s not a dig at Hibs, it’s just the honest truth. Aston Villa have a squad of players who were purchased for over £100 million and they are on eye watering salaries. Hibs can’t compete with that. We’ve learnt that ourselves over the past few years in European football.
The Hibs defeat is another warning to Celtic as we prepare to start our own Champions League campaign against Europe’s elite next month. We of course don’t know our opponents yet, but with us being fourth seeds, we will have a daunting group to look forward to. No matter who we face.
That makes it all the more important that we sign a couple of quality players in time for that challenge, especially as it looks like we will be without the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and maybe Reo Hatate through injury.
Activity in the transfer window is surely a must if Celtic are to compete and avoid total humiliation. The Hibs defeat has given us a glimpse of what could be lie in store for us. Let’s hope the club heeds that warning and backs Brendan Rodgers over the next week in the transfer market.
