Celtic appear to be nearing a deal to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Joel van den Berg, with a club delegation reportedly travelling to the Netherlands to finalise negotiations over the 19-year-old's transfer to Glasgow.
Van den Berg, who has struggled to break into PSV's first team on a regular basis, is understood to be open to the move north. Signs that a switch is imminent came when the youngster was withdrawn from PSV's second-string side, Jong PSV, ahead of their second-tier fixture against RKC Waalwijk on Friday. Dutch journalist Rik Elfrink suggested this was a strong indication that PSV are ready to let the midfielder leave for Celtic Park.
While the Van den Berg deal looks to be progressing well for the Scottish champions, Celtic have had less fortune elsewhere in the transfer market, missing out on several other targets they had been tracking.
Hajduk Split boss Gonzalez Garcia has confirmed that midfielder Niko Sigur has already played his final match for the Croatian club, fuelling expectations of an imminent departure. The 22-year-old is said to be keen on a move to Celtic, but the Scottish champions now face stiff competition for his signature from Belgian side Genk and French club Toulouse, complicating what once looked like a straightforward pursuit.
Celtic have also been left frustrated in their attempts to sign Partizan Belgrade playmaker Ognjen Ugresic. Partizan president Rasim Ljajic revealed that the Serbian club turned down an offer from Celtic for the 20-year-old, explaining that they had already committed to selling him to Greek side PAOK. According to Ljajic, Partizan had given their word to PAOK before Celtic's bid arrived, even though the Scottish club's offer was reportedly around £400,000 higher than what PAOK are paying.
Adding to Celtic's frustrations, the club look set to miss out on Ermin Mahmic. Turkish outlet Sport Klub reports that the 21-year-old Slovan Liberec midfielder has agreed a £4.3m move to newly promoted Super Lig side Corum, effectively ending any hopes Celtic had of bringing him to Scotland.
Rangers, meanwhile, have also been unable to land some of the targets they had been monitoring, though details on their specific pursuits remain less clear amid the wider market activity involving Scotland's two biggest clubs.
Elsewhere in Scottish football, Dundee United are reportedly considering launching another bid for Falkirk midfielder Brad Spencer, as the Tayside club look to strengthen their squad ahead of the coming season. The exact terms of any previous or upcoming offer for Spencer have not been disclosed, but the interest suggests United see the player as a key target in their recruitment plans.
With the transfer window continuing to move quickly, Celtic's focus now appears to be on completing the Van den Berg deal while assessing further options to bolster their midfield, having already lost ground on Sigur, Ugresic and Mahmic. The coming days are likely to bring further clarity on how the Scottish champions' recruitment strategy takes shape as they aim to strengthen their squad for the season ahead.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport, VI, Glasgow Times, The National, and Mozzart Sport.