Celtic Eye Bissouma as O’Neill Seeks Midfield Strength
Celtic eye Bissouma as O’Neill hunts midfield steel
Martin O’Neill’s rebuild at Celtic may be about to take a significant turn, with the club closely tracking former Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma as a potential free-transfer coup.
The 29-year-old, released by Spurs and now available without a fee, offers something Celtic lacked badly in their chaotic Champions League exit to LASK: control. Ball-winning grit. A midfielder who can drag his team up the pitch when the pressure bites.
O’Neill’s side were overrun in Austria, unable to stem the tide as their campaign unravelled. That collapse has sharpened the focus on the heart of the team. If Celtic are to avoid a repeat on the European stage, the middle of the park needs more authority and more personality. Bissouma, with years of Premier League experience behind him, ticks both boxes.
A proven disruptor in midfield, the Mali international built his reputation in England on his ability to regain possession and then drive through the lines. He doesn’t just intercept; he carries. He drags opponents out of shape, breaks pressure and turns defence into attack in a few strides. For a Celtic side that too often sat on the back foot against LASK, that profile is hard to ignore.
They are not alone in noticing it.
Journalist Lassana Camara reports that Celtic are “closely following” Bissouma’s situation, but the Glasgow club face a genuine race. Ajax have stepped forward, with the Dutch giants understood to be keen on bringing him to Amsterdam. İstanbul Başakşehir are also in the frame, sensing an opportunity to land a player with top-level pedigree as the window ticks towards its close.
The attraction is obvious. Bissouma offers European clubs a rare mix: a free agent with high-end experience and the physical tools to step straight into a starting XI. After several seasons in the Premier League, he stands at a crossroads, weighing up his next challenge on the continent.
For Celtic, the stakes are clear. Secure Bissouma and O’Neill adds a ready-made anchor, a midfielder capable of changing the feel of big European nights. Miss out, and the search for that missing piece in the engine room drags on while rivals strengthen around them.
The clock is running. The coming hours will reveal whether Celtic’s interest turns into something more concrete, or whether Bissouma’s next chapter is written in Amsterdam, Istanbul – or somewhere else entirely.
