Celtic Eye Yves Bissouma for Midfield Reinforcement

Celtic are tracking former Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma as Martin O’Neill searches for a powerful addition to reshape his midfield.

The 29-year-old is a free agent after leaving Spurs, a status that instantly makes him one of the more intriguing options on the late-window market. No transfer fee, heavy Premier League mileage, and a profile that fits a glaring need. It is exactly the sort of opportunity clubs circle at this stage of the summer.

Bissouma built his reputation in England on intensity and control. He wins the ball, then drives with it. He presses, bites into tackles, and carries through traffic when others go sideways. Those are not abstract qualities for Celtic right now; they are the very things they lacked in their bruising Champions League exit to LASK.

That collapse in Austria exposed the soft underbelly of O’Neill’s side. Celtic struggled to get a grip in the middle of the pitch, unable to slow the game or turn possession wins into meaningful counters. A midfielder who relishes duels and can drag his team up the park is not a luxury after that night. It feels like a requirement.

The problem? Celtic are not alone in that assessment.

Journalist Lassana Camara reports that the Glasgow club are “closely following” Bissouma’s situation, but they have serious company. Ajax are in the race. İstanbul Başakşehir are too. All three see the same thing: a seasoned Mali international, available for nothing, with several Premier League campaigns behind him and enough time left in his career to anchor a new project.

Camara details that Ajax have “reportedly expressed interest” in bringing Bissouma to the Netherlands, while Başakşehir are also keen on his profile. Celtic, he adds, are watching developments carefully as the window moves towards its conclusion.

The equation is simple. After several seasons in England’s top flight, Bissouma stands on the brink of a fresh European challenge. The only real unknown now is the destination.

For Celtic, still nursing the wounds of that European exit and with O’Neill intent on stiffening his core, the question is blunt: can they convince a player of Bissouma’s calibre that his next chapter should be written in Glasgow?