Martin O'Neill confirms Junior Adamu and Joel Mvuka deals imminent
Celtic are closing in on deals to sign Freiburg forward Junior Adamu and Lorient winger Joel Mvuka.
Manager Martin O’Neill confirmed both deals were at an advanced stage ahead of the final day of the transfer window and that more activity could follow with a central defender on the shopping list.
The Celtic boss had no knowledge of a potential bid from Nottingham Forest for midfielder Arne Engels, who started in Sunday’s 2-0 win over Falkirk.
Norwegian Mvuka, 23, has struggled for starts this season after helping Lorient gain promotion to Ligue 1 while 24-year-old Austria international Adamu has netted two goals in the Bundesliga this season.
When asked about the deals after the win over Falkirk, O’Neill said: “I think they’ve either done their medicals or are about to do them, so that helps us a little bit. There might be something else before Monday evening at 11 o’clock.”
Reports claim that Forest had a £14million bid for Engels rejected on Sunday.
O’Neill said: “Honestly, I am telling you, I didn’t know anything about it. If they’ve done it, then they must have done it during the game.
“And I would want it rebuffed. Unless it was £100m. And then I think the board would step in there.”
Centre-back Stephen Welsh came off the bench against Falkirk but could still return to Motherwell on Monday after being recalled from a season-long loan in mid-January.
O’Neill said: “Welshy has done very, very well at Motherwell, and in an ideal world, he would probably want to go back. And I don’t really want to stop him when he’s on a really good run there at this minute.
“So that might depend on us getting someone else in as cover. But if we don’t get anybody else in, then that’s a case of wanting to keep him here and then just battling for a place.”
Elsewhere in the William Hill Premiership, Rangers head coach Danny Rohl is hoping for another addition.
“The club will make the final decision (on Monday), what is on, what is not on,” he said after a goalless draw at Hibernian.
“So far, we made three signings. I think it was a good start. Now we will see when the deadline happens.”
Hibs are expected to sign Bochum right-back Felix Passlack, who watched the draw from the Easter Road main stand.
Head coach David Gray said: “I do expect a bit of movement. Until signed, sealed and in the building permanently, I don’t think it’s right to talk about individuals.”
Falkirk boss John McGlynn confirmed he was in the hunt for an attacking player with January signing Ben Parkinson facing up to 12 weeks out with an ankle injury.
McGlynn said: “We’ve got something going on. Whether it comes off or not, we don’t know. If we get it, great. If we don’t, we’re not going to be too concerned. Our squad’s fairly good.”
--
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.