Celtic Takes Lead as Ghedjemis Prefers Parkhead Move

The first shots of this season’s Old Firm battle might not be coming from the pitch, but from the boardroom.

Fares Ghedjemis, the winger coveted by both Celtic and Rangers, has now indicated he would rather wear green and white than line up in royal blue, with crucial talks over his future expected within the next 48 hours.

Old Firm, New Front

Celtic’s summer had been meandering. A raft of departures from Parkhead left the squad thin and the support restless. Kasper Hogh’s arrival from Bodo/Glimt, following Camilo Duran through the door, finally gave the window some shape, but nobody inside the club believes the rebuild is close to finished.

Across the city, Rangers have moved at a very different pace. Eight signings already for Derek McInnes, who has wasted no time putting his stamp on the squad. The draw with Dundee United on the opening day, though, underlined the obvious: quantity of signings does not guarantee cohesion.

McInnes wanted a statement win to open his first league campaign at Ibrox, a line in the sand after last season’s late heartbreak. Instead, he got questions. Celtic, for their part, beat Dundee 1-0 but never convinced. Three points, yes. A performance to silence doubts, no.

So the tone is set. Two teams still searching for fluency, already locked in a familiar tug of war. This time, over Ghedjemis.

Ghedjemis Shifts Towards Celtic

According to Celts Are Here, the Algeria international has altered his stance and is now open to joining Celtic, with a preference for a move to Parkhead over a switch to Rangers.

That is a significant development. Back in January, Celtic had a €6m offer accepted by Frosinone, only for the 23-year-old to turn down the move. His priority then was clear: stay in Italy, finish the job, and drag Frosinone into Serie A. He did exactly that.

Promotion has changed the dynamic. Frosinone now sit at the top table and have reacted accordingly, bumping up Ghedjemis’ price and banking on the lure of facing Italy’s elite to help keep him at the club.

Rangers, eager to back McInnes and inject more pace and creativity into their wide areas, have already tested that resolve. An £8m bid has gone in and been rejected, a marker laid down that they are prepared to outmuscle Celtic financially if it comes to that.

The twist? While Rangers have gone higher with the money, Celtic now have the edge in the player’s mind.

Money, Ambition and a Reluctant Seller

The next 48 hours promise to be tense. Frosinone are set to hold fresh talks over Ghedjemis’ future, with interest in the winger growing beyond Glasgow.

Clubs from France, Spain and Italy are also tracking him, according to the same report. That matters. It gives Frosinone leverage, and it reminds both Celtic and Rangers that this is not a two-horse race unless they make it one with a serious offer.

Celtic face a clear challenge. Their January bid now looks light in the current market and even lighter given Rangers’ rejected £8m proposal. If they truly want to turn Ghedjemis’ preference into a signature, they will have to move well beyond their previous valuation.

Rangers, meanwhile, must decide how far they are willing to go for a player who, at this point, appears to favour their greatest rivals. Do they push the fee higher and try to change his mind with a project and a wage packet? Or do they walk away rather than become the club that pays top dollar for a reluctant signing?

All of this unfolds against the backdrop of a stubborn seller. Frosinone are not in a hurry to cash in. Freshly promoted, they see Ghedjemis as one of their best players and a key figure in their bid to stay in Serie A. From their perspective, keeping him and letting him showcase his talent against the giants of Italian football has its own value.

Any deal, then, will require compromise. The Italian club want to protect their sporting project and their asset. Celtic and Rangers want a price that makes sense in their own financial structures. Somewhere in the middle lies the number that decides whether Ghedjemis swaps Serie A for the Scottish Premiership.

A Battle That Runs Deeper Than One Signing

Strip it back and this is more than a transfer story. It’s a snapshot of where the Old Firm stand.

Celtic, champions but in transition, trying to rebuild smartly while holding onto their domestic dominance. Rangers, stung by last season’s finale, throwing their weight behind a new manager and a new squad in an effort to wrestle the title back.

Ghedjemis has become the symbol of that contest. One player, two clubs, and a decision that will echo far beyond the unveiling photos.

The winger’s preference points to Parkhead. The bigger bid has come from Ibrox. Frosinone still hold the cards.

In the next two days, someone in this three-way standoff will have to blink.