Sebastian Tounekti latest, Marcelo Saracchi’s ‘welcome to Celtic’ video released

Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph reports that Celtic have made a second offer worth £4.7 million for Hammarby IF winger Sebastian Tounekti.

As per the Sky reporter Joseph, the revised offer from the Scottish champions includes an upfront payment of £3.9m, along with an additional £800k in potential bonuses.

This update comes after Hammarby turned down Celtic’s initial £2.6m offer earlier this week and are holding out for a fee closer to £5m.

This year, Hammarby signed 23-year-old Tounekti from Haugesund, with the winger having also featured for Tromsdalen and Champions League newcomers Bodo Glimt in the past.

Speaking to local Swedish outlet Fotboll Skanalen this week, Celtic-linked Tounekti opened up about the club’s reported interest. He said: “You get to know some of what’s going on, and I’ve heard that there’s interest.”

“Of course, it’s great that a big club that often plays in the Champions League wants me. It’s a top club in Europe. It’s great that there’s that kind of interest, and it shows that you’ve done something good.”

“Now I’m just focusing on training here, and we have a very important match on Sunday.”

Tounekti’s remarks come after Hammarby sporting director Mikael Hjelmberg dismissed the idea of further departures this summer, even with multiple players attracting interest.

Speaking via Expressen, Hjelmberg said: “There have been offers for several players, but none that we have accepted or have any ambition to accept. We will not sell any more players than that; we have no plans to do so.”

In other areas of the pitch, Celtic have finally announced the permanent signing of Michel-Ange Balikwisha from Royal Antwerp and have secured a loan move for Boca Juniors’ Marcelo Saracchi. Both could feature at Ibrox tomorrow.

Celtic are also closing in on a deal for Anderlecht’s Danish striker Kasper Dolberg in a deal that would allow Adam Idah to complete his move to Swansea. The Irishman had a medical in Wales yesterday ahead of the £7m transfer but was dramatically called back to Glasgow by Brendan Rodgers who told the media at Lennoxtown that Idah could not leave until at least one striker has been signed.

We’ll report on developments throughout the day but it’s clear Celtic want to bring Dolberg in and Adam Idah will then move on. However as things stand Idah could feature one last time for Celtic tomorrow lunchtime at Ibrox when the team that can’t defend takes on the team that can’t score.

Conor Spence