Rangers' pursuit of PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech has hit a snag after the Dutch club rejected an improved £6m offer from the Ibrox side. According to reports, Burnley and Celta Vigo have since entered the race for the 24-year-old, with the Spanish club understood to have made contact at an early stage. Reports also suggest Driouech currently holds a slight preference for a move to Celta Vigo, complicating Rangers' hopes of landing the forward this summer.
Elsewhere on the wing-market front, Monaco have identified Algeria international Fares Ghedjemis as their top target for the right-wing role. The Ligue 1 side are reportedly preparing an improved offer for the 23-year-old after Frosinone turned down a bid worth £6m plus £1.7m in add-ons. Frosinone have also rebuffed interest from Scotland, rejecting bids of £8.6m from both Celtic and Rangers for the same player, underlining the competitive nature of the chase for Ghedjemis.
Meanwhile, Celtic's interest in another winger appears to be progressing more smoothly. Egyptian forward Haissem Hassan, who plays for Real Oviedo, was left out of the Spanish club's squad for their pre-season friendly against Le Havre, fuelling speculation that a move to Parkhead is closing in. The 24-year-old is the subject of a £9m bid from Celtic and is reportedly awaiting the go-ahead to undergo a medical, with visa matters said to be the main hold-up in finalising the deal.
An agreement is understood to be in place for Hassan to sign a contract with Celtic running until 2030. Real Oviedo are set to receive an initial £6m for the winger, with a further £1.3m potentially due if Celtic qualify for the Champions League proper. Real Oviedo head coach Julian Calero has already signalled that the club will not block Hassan's departure, effectively giving the move his blessing as talks continue to reach their conclusion.
Celtic's transfer business does not appear to be limited to Hassan, however. The Scottish champions are also reported to be readying an increased push for Heart of Midlothian forward Claudio Braga. The 26-year-old has attracted attention from several clubs outside Scotland as well, meaning Celtic may need to move decisively if they want to secure his signature amid growing competition from abroad.
With the transfer window in full swing, Scottish clubs are increasingly finding themselves in direct competition not only with each other but with sides from across Europe for similar targets. Rangers' setback in the Driouech deal and their missed bid for Ghedjemis highlight the challenges of competing financially with clubs from bigger leagues, while Celtic's apparent progress with Hassan suggests Brendan Rodgers' side are pressing ahead with plans to strengthen their attacking options regardless.
As deadline day approaches, further movement is expected on all fronts. Rangers will likely need to identify alternative targets if the Driouech and Ghedjemis pursuits ultimately fall through, while Celtic look poised to add both Hassan and possibly Braga to their ranks if talks continue at the current pace. The coming days should provide clarity on several of these developing sagas as clubs finalise their squads for the season ahead.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport, Sky Sports, L'Equipe, and Record.