Celtic are still enjoying a surprising end to a tumultuous 2025/26 season, but there is still much to be resolved at Parkhead and potential changes ahead.
Martin O’Neill, 74, has worked wonders to lead an injury-hit and flawed side to a domestic double, but the question remains whether the club’s hierarchy will stick with him or twist.
Whether O’Neill takes over or not, the ultimate success of this season cannot overshadow the need for seismic reinforcements, with mass departures also expected.
Indeed, there is a feeling that Glasgow is in need of an Ange Postecoglou-style shake-up, and efforts to bring in new players have already begun.
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It is already shaping up to be an interesting summer for the Premiership’s elite, with the first big move in this slot set to be Lawrence Shankland’s impending move to Rangers.
The Gers appear to be targeting players who are either Scottish or have a proven track record in the SPFL, but their interest in Motherwell star Elijah Just could see both the Gers and Celtic enter the market with the same target in mind.
The New Zealand international could bring a new spark of creativity to the Hoops, either from the right-wing or in his No 10 role, but he is not the only player who could be on the club’s shortlist.
Indeed, as reported by Stephen McGowan of the Herald, Celtic could revive their interest in Go Ahead Eagles star Jacob Breum, following their interest in the player last year.
The Champions have had a number of bids for the 22-year-old scuttled in 2025, but could be on the table again this time around, alongside interest in January target Kasper Hogg.
In Brium’s case, there were suggestions last summer that Celtic would have to pay around £6m to get him over the line.
Why Breum could be Celtic’s biggest talent since O’Reilly
Unable to escape this problem, the last three years since Postecoglou’s departure have been a disaster, with Nicholas Kuhn and Benjamin Nygren representing the only significant success stories.
Celtic’s richest contract in history
The Hoops have made smart signings over the years.
But Kuhn’s spell lasted only 18 months, while for Nygren, the free-scoring Swede was prolific on debut but remains a polarizing figure, often seen in and out of matches due to a lack of mobility and physicality.
Similarly, neither pair have reached the level achieved by the club’s biggest sale in recent years, Denmark international Matt O’Reilly, who leaves in a £25m deal in 2024 after an impressive two-and-a-half years in Glasgow.
Playing in an advanced midfield role, the elegant left-footer made a huge impact under Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers, scoring 62 goals and providing an assist in 142 games in all competitions.
The then 21-year-old was snapped up from MK Dons in a bargain £1.5m deal in January 2022 and blossomed into a talismanic green and white star in his final season under Rodgers.
If all goes well, young Breum could follow a similar trajectory if traded from the Netherlands to Scotland, having already been in good form in recent years.
The versatile playmaker, who is only 22 years old and usually plays in a number 10 role, has gained a wealth of experience with his current team, scoring and assisting 37 times in just 105 games.
Broome 25/26 State | |
|---|---|
Statistics (*per game) | record |
game | 28 |
begins | twenty four |
the goal | 6 |
assist | 5 |
missed a big opportunity | 2 |
A big opportunity has arisen | 12 |
Key pass* | 1.9 |
Pass accuracy* | 84% |
Successful. dribble* | 1.1 |
Ball lost* | 10.9 |
The young Dane, who is waiting to join O’Reilly at his home country’s top level, has scored six goals and provided five assists in the Eredivisie this season, mirroring the image of his compatriot who is not only a goal-scoring threat in his own right, but also offers flashes of real creativity.
He also averaged an impressive 1.9 key passes per game, creating 12 “big chances” during that time, the 12th best record in the division for the latter metric.
For comparison, only Daen Maeda (14) has surpassed that tally in the 2025/26 Celtic squad, but in O’Reilly’s last full season at Parkhead, the left-footer only narrowly took the lead after creating 14 ‘big chances’ of his own.
This is reassuring for Brum as well. He has scored 15 goals and provided assists in the Eredivisie in 2024-25, which is good enough to suggest he has the potential to succeed in Scottish football.
There may be concerns about pursuing former targets like Ho and Blüm at a time when Celtic’s recruiting structure needs to change, but it’s easy to see why he still craves such strong interest, especially the latter.
A creative and exciting young talent, he could become the club’s biggest star since O’Reilly.
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