Celtic Pursue Robbie Keane as Dermot Desmond Considers O'Neill Role

The summer has barely begun, but the power lines of Scottish football are already crackling.

At Celtic, the managerial search has moved Robbie Keane from rumour to live contender. The former Republic of Ireland striker has held what have been described as constructive talks over the vacancy, with more meetings lined up this week as the club narrows its options.

This is not just a polite chat with a former fan favourite. The process has momentum. Keane wants to step into frontline management at a major club; Celtic want a figure who can command the dressing room and the stands in equal measure. The talks will now deepen, probing not just ambition but structure, staff, and how a new regime would sit within the club’s existing hierarchy.

Hovering over it all is Dermot Desmond. The principal shareholder intends to speak with interim boss Martin O'Neill to gauge whether the veteran is willing to remain at the club in some capacity. O’Neill, who steadied the ship when Celtic needed a familiar hand, now finds himself at the centre of a delicate conversation: mentor, director, consultant, or a clean break?

How Celtic balance Keane’s potential arrival with O’Neill’s stature will shape the feel of the new era. A fresh face on the touchline, possibly backed by one of the club’s most revered managers in a broader role, would be a powerful statement of continuity and change rolled into one.

Rangers move for Skoglund

Across the city, Rangers are not waiting for the dust to settle at Celtic Park. They have opened direct contact with the representatives of Hammarby right-back Hampus Skoglund, a player tied to the Swedish club for another three years.

This is an assertive move. Going straight to the player’s camp signals clear intent and a willingness to test Hammarby’s resolve early. Skoglund offers exactly what modern full-backs must: energy, range, and the ability to stretch the pitch. With three years left on his deal, he will not come cheap, but Rangers appear ready to engage in the kind of negotiation that underlines their rebuilding drive.

Defensive width has been a recurring issue at Ibrox. Skoglund, if prised away, would not be a depth signing; he would be a marker of where Rangers see their next evolution, particularly in European competition where full-backs are often exposed or exalted.

West Ham circle Scottish talent

Drop south to London and another storyline emerges. West Ham United, preparing for life in the Championship, have turned their gaze north.

The club have made an initial enquiry about Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, as they begin to reshape a squad that must handle the grind of a 46-game league campaign. An enquiry is only a first step, but it is a clear sign that West Ham want legs, hunger, and resale value in the middle of the park.

Mulligan fits that profile. At 23, he has room to grow, yet enough experience to cope with the physical demands of English football’s second tier. For Hibernian, interest from a club of West Ham’s size forces a familiar Scottish dilemma: cash in on a rising asset or hold firm for on-field stability.

West Ham are not stopping there. They are also monitoring Celtic centre-forward Callum Osmand, though the Scottish champions are understood to be highly reluctant to part with the 20-year-old.

That resistance matters. It suggests Celtic view Osmand as a long-term piece, not a peripheral prospect. For West Ham, the player sits in the “track and wait” category: one to follow closely, to test the waters if circumstances shift, but not one they can realistically prise away on the cheap while Celtic dig in.

A shifting map

Taken together, the moves paint a familiar but compelling picture. Celtic weigh up Robbie Keane and the continued influence of Martin O'Neill. Rangers push hard for Hampus Skoglund to sharpen their right flank. West Ham, bracing for the Championship, look to Scotland for the next wave in Josh Mulligan and, if they can ever tempt him free, Callum Osmand.

The questions now are blunt and immediate: who strikes first, who holds their nerve, and which of these early manoeuvres will still look smart when the new season kicks off?