If a recent report from The Herald is to be believed, Celtic are plotting a double raid on Go Ahead Eagles, with Jari De Busser the latest name linked. They have already resurrected their interest in Jakob Breum, as the pair could ply their trades at Parkhead in the summer.
The 26-year-old Belgian progressed through the academy ranks of Lierse before breaking into their senior squad as a teenager. Top-flight heavyweights Gent secured his services on a Bosman in the summer of 2020, but eventually let him return to the second division with Lommel after failing to hand him first-team football.
His Emergence In Eredivisie
After a sporadic status in the initial days, De Busser grabbed a regular role between the sticks. However, he was allowed to leave as a free agent in the summer of 2024 and Go Ahead, who were in the market for a new goalkeeper to cover Luca Plogmann, snapped him up in a three-year contract.
Although he eventually replaced Plogmann and snatched the starting status, the Dutch side would sanction his exit for a fee in the region of £2.5m. With his current deal set to expire in 12 months, they are looking to maximise the profit rather than losing him for nothing next summer.
Celtic revived from Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous tenure following the re-appointment of Martin O’Neill as the interim boss earlier this year. They conquered a domestic double under the tutelage of the veteran Northern Irishman, and the management are now assessing several profiles to find his long-term successor.
Meanwhile, O’Neill is still helping them in the recruitment drive, as the Celts aim to get their business done at the earliest, having learnt from the mistakes made in the recent past. They left it late in winter, thus settling for mediocrity in the attacking third.
Why Celtic Are After A New Keeper
Celtic roped in both Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo a couple of summers ago, with the veteran Dane being viewed as a like-for-like replacement for Joe Hart. Sinisalo featured as his understudy in goal until recently, when Schmeichel underwent surgery to recover from a long-standing shoulder injury. The Finnish custodian made the opportunities count, as his performances might have convinced the board to change their strategy of tying down experienced names and relying on the younger alternatives.
Although Ross Doohan was brought back to his boyhood club, the Scotland international has not been involved at all throughout the campaign. De Busser’s arrival would see him continue as the third choice, with the Go Ahead Eagles ‘number 1’ expected to challenge Sinisalo for the first-team spot.
