Celtic centre back is reportedly on the verge of finalising his transfer to RC Lens as he heads to the north of France for his medical. The development marks a significant step forward in what has been a closely watched situation involving the player and the Ligue 1 club. Reports indicate that the move is progressing swiftly, with the defender now traveling for the necessary medical examination that typically precedes the official completion of such transfers.
This latest update has generated considerable interest among supporters of both clubs, as the player prepares to undergo the standard medical tests in the north of France. The process is understood to be a key part of finalising the agreement between the parties involved, bringing the potential transfer closer to confirmation in the coming days.
The 25-year old was assessing his options at the end of the season after a successful loan spell in the German second tier with Hannover 96, where he notched six goal contributions from defence in 17 appearances. Since moving to Celtic from Legia Warsaw in 2023, the Pole has largely struggled for minutes in a green and white jersey, however he did feature in both of their pre-season friendlies to date against Shelbourne and Sporting Lisbon respectively.
During that loan period at Hannover 96, the defender made a notable impact by contributing six goal involvements while playing in defence across those 17 matches. His time at Celtic since arriving from Legia Warsaw in 2023 has seen him face challenges in securing regular playing time in the green and white colours of the Scottish club. Despite those difficulties, he did make appearances in the recent pre-season friendlies, specifically featuring against Shelbourne as well as Sporting Lisbon.
Ligue 1 runners-up Lens are looking to strengthen their options as they enter the Champions League for only the fourth time in their history. The club have already signed the player’s former Poland Under-21 international teammate Michal Skoras from Belgian side Gent for a deal worth around £5.1m. Meanwhile, the Celtic defender is reportedly valued at around £1.5m.
Lens, who finished as runners-up in Ligue 1, are actively seeking to bolster their squad as they gear up for their participation in the Champions League, which represents only the fourth occasion in the club’s history that they have reached this prestigious competition. In preparation for the campaign, the French side have already secured the services of Michal Skoras, a former Poland Under-21 international teammate of the Celtic defender, with that transfer from the Belgian club Gent completed for a fee in the region of £5.1 million. At the same time, reports suggest that the valuation placed on the Celtic defender in question stands at approximately £1.5 million.
Lens ‘close’ to Nawrocki deal
According to Polish media outlet Meczkyi: “As it turns out, the Ligue 1 club (Lens) is eager to sign another Pole. According to our information, Maik Nawrocki is expected to join their ranks. The player is expected to be in France for scheduled medical tests. His transfer is expected to be announced on Friday.”
Despite the imminent deal, no fee or contact details have been officially disclosed by either club. Nawrocki is under contract at Parkhead until 2028 giving the Hoops a strong enough bargaining chip in negotiations. Overall, he made 18 Celtic appearances in three years in a spell where he hasn’t been helped by injury setbacks.
Even with the transfer appearing to be very close, neither club has yet made any official announcement regarding the fee involved or provided any additional contract specifics. Maik Nawrocki remains under contract with Celtic at Parkhead until the year 2028, which provides the Scottish club with a solid position during the ongoing negotiations. In total, across his three years with Celtic, he has accumulated 18 appearances for the team, a period that has been impacted by various injury setbacks that limited his opportunities.
Hannover had the option to sign him permanently at the end of last season but weren’t able to fund it after narrowly missing out on promotion to the Bundesliga. Before Legia and Celtic, he started his career at his boyhood club Werder Bremen.
The German second division side Hannover had held an option to make the defender’s stay permanent at the conclusion of the previous season. However, they found themselves unable to finance the move following their narrow failure to achieve promotion to the Bundesliga. Prior to his periods with Legia Warsaw and subsequently Celtic, Maik Nawrocki had begun his professional career at Werder Bremen, the club he supported as a boy.
Nawrocki makes choice amid several ‘options’
Towards the end of last season, the defender was assessing his three options, to either try and stay at Celtic Park, make his move to Hannover permanent or move elsewhere. Due to external factors, Nawrocki has now been forced into the latter. He said: “There are several options for me at the end of the season. I could stay here, go back to Celtic or maybe go somewhere completely different.
“This loan move has worked out very well for me. It was important that I played regularly again after two years of hardly playing. The way we play is also good for me. I am closer to my family in Bremen too. During my time in Warsaw and at Celtic, we saw each other very rarely. Now it’s only an hour’s drive and I visit more often. I really like it in Hannover. The city is incredibly beautiful. I felt comfortable in the team right from the start. And the weather is also much better than in Scotland!”
In the closing stages of the last season, the defender had been carefully considering three distinct pathways available to him. These included attempting to remain at Celtic Park, converting his loan with Hannover into a permanent arrangement, or pursuing a completely new opportunity elsewhere. Ultimately, due to a range of external factors, Maik Nawrocki has found himself directed towards the third of those choices. In his own words, he explained the situation as follows: “There are several options for me at the end of the season. I could stay here, go back to Celtic or maybe go somewhere completely different.
“This loan move has worked out very well for me. It was important that I played regularly again after two years of hardly playing. The way we play is also good for me. I am closer to my family in Bremen too. During my time in Warsaw and at Celtic, we saw each other very rarely. Now it’s only an hour’s drive and I visit more often. I really like it in Hannover. The city is incredibly beautiful. I felt comfortable in the team right from the start. And the weather is also much better than in Scotland!”