Celtic have strengthened their squad ahead of the new campaign by securing loan moves for goalkeeper Sam Johnstone and young striker Shumaira Mheuka, the Scottish champions have confirmed.
Johnstone, 33, joins on loan from relegated Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers and is expected to compete for the number one jersey with Finland international Viljami Sinisalo. The former Manchester United trainee, who also had spells at Aston Villa, West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace, made 17 appearances for Wolves last season before losing his starting spot in December. His most recent outing came in an FA Cup defeat to Liverpool in early March.
The England international, who earned his fourth and most recent cap in 2023, expressed enthusiasm about his switch to Parkhead. "I'm buzzing to be here and I'm excited to get going," Johnstone said. He revealed that former Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart had personally reached out to encourage the move, adding: "I didn't need convincing by anyone, but Joe Hart rang me the other day just to reiterate what a place this is, what a great group of lads and how the fans are unbelievable."
Johnstone also spoke about the scale and ambition of the club after just a short time around the squad. "You hear about the size of the club, and you know about the size of the club, but just being here for a day, you notice how big the club is," he said. "And the pressure to win, which is what I like – pressure to win, pressure to perform and we all want to win trophies."
He further highlighted the camaraderie among the goalkeeping staff, noting the tight bond within that unit. "I think everyone knows the goalie groups are a tight-knit group. We work closely together every day and hopefully I can help Vil and he can help me, and we push each other and we support each other along with the other goalies and the goalie coaches," he explained.
Johnstone's arrival comes after a turbulent period in Celtic's goalkeeping department. Kasper Schmeichel, who had been the club's first-choice goalkeeper since 2024, played his final match in February before retiring due to a shoulder injury.
Manager Martin O'Neill welcomed the experienced shot-stopper, praising his pedigree. "He is a quality keeper with excellent experience at the highest level," O'Neill said. "I think he will be a very good addition to our goalkeeping team."
Alongside Johnstone, Celtic have also brought in 18-year-old forward Shumaira Mheuka on loan from Chelsea. The teenager recently signed a contract extension with the London club that runs until 2031. Mheuka has already featured nine times for Chelsea's first team, including four appearances in last season's Conference League, one of which was a start.
His development at youth level has been particularly notable, having captained Chelsea's Under-21 side and scored 18 goals in 19 appearances last season.
O'Neill was equally positive about the young striker's potential impact at Celtic Park, describing him as a player of "great quality." The Celtic boss added: "I think this period of his career, spent with us, will be beneficial to him and obviously to us. He is a player who can give us another great attacking dimension and I'm sure he will make an important contribution to Celtic."
Both new arrivals will be looking to make an immediate impact as Celtic continue their preparations for the upcoming season, with fans eager to see how the pair fit into O'Neill's plans domestically and in European competition.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.