Celtic Star READY to QUIT as He Demands £15m Everton Switch – West Ham Closing In on Teammate
Celtic supporters are bracing themselves for another difficult summer after fresh reports emerged that two of the club’s most important players are on the verge of departing Parkhead.
With Everton and West Ham United both circling, the Premiership champions face the very real prospect of losing significant quality from a squad that delivered a domestic double last season.
The emotional weight of these potential exits is already being felt across the support, with many fans describing the situation as pure heartbreak after watching these players deliver consistent performances through thick and thin.
The timing could hardly be worse. Martin O’Neill has only recently returned to the hot seat and is already confronting the challenge of holding on to talent that has been central to Celtic’s success. One of the players in question has made his feelings clear to the club hierarchy, expressing a strong desire to move to a Premier League side currently reshaping its squad.
The other is the subject of growing interest from a Championship powerhouse that has already tested Celtic’s resolve with earlier bids. Negotiations are ongoing, valuations remain a sticking point, and the coming days are expected to prove decisive.
Both men have been key contributors during their time in Glasgow. The right-back recovered from a lengthy hamstring layoff last term to play a vital role in the league and Scottish Cup triumphs.
His performances for Canada on the international stage only reinforced his reputation as a reliable, high-level operator. Meanwhile the midfielder has shown enough quality that Nottingham Forest’s substantial winter approach was firmly rejected.
That interest never fully disappeared, and now another English club appears ready to force the issue with an improved package.
According to reporting from the Daily Record, both players are on the verge of checking out of Parkhead. Boss Martin O’Neill is resigned to losing the key pair in the next few days. Record Sport understands the Canadian international is close to sealing a move to Everton in a deal worth up to £15 million. The player has told Celtic he is keen on the switch to the Premier League outfit, but the clubs are still in negotiations.
It’s understood the Toffees are offering a package of around £12 million up front plus add-ons, while the Hoops want more. The deal is expected to be thrashed out while West Ham prepare to submit an improved offer for the midfielder.
The Championship big guns have already had two bids rejected as they fell well short of Celtic’s valuation. The Hoops previously knocked back Nottingham Forest in January after an offer of £20 million with up to £5 million in bonuses and are looking for similar numbers from the Hammers. The player is already down the line with personal terms, and the switch is also expected to progress in the coming days.
For Celtic, the financial upside is obvious, yet the sporting cost could be considerable. Replacing that combination of defensive reliability and midfield dynamism will not be straightforward, especially with the new season approaching and limited time to bring in suitable replacements.
The heartbreak for supporters runs deeper than simple squad turnover. These players have become familiar faces in green and white, contributing to trophy-winning campaigns and providing moments of quality that fans will remember. Watching them edge closer to the exit door, particularly when one has openly expressed his preference for a move, creates a sense of inevitability that many find difficult to accept.
The club’s track record of selling key talent for significant fees is well established, but that does not make the process any easier for those who pack out Celtic Park week after week.
Beyond the two departures that appear most advanced, attention has also turned to the future of club captain Callum McGregor. Speculation linking him with a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia has circulated, yet O’Neill has sought to calm those particular waters.
The manager revealed that coaching discussions for the future have already taken place with the skipper. “He had a good conversation with Michael, the CEO. It didn’t need reiterating what we think of him here, his potential, and what he can do,” O’Neill said.
“Right about now, he should be starting to think about coaching badges, so there’s always a role for him here. He’s got a couple of years left to run on his contract and he by all accounts wants to stay, that’s what he said to me. He’s happy.
If I was thinking at boardroom level, I’d be thinking something along those lines. It’s too early for him to think about that, but he’s definitely managerial material.
“There were some lads that have done well as managers that I had that you wouldn’t have immediately thought that was the case, and there’s other ones I thought would be terrific, and it didn’t materialise. Is Callum a coach on the pitch? Very much so.”
Those comments offer a rare note of continuity at a time when change appears inevitable elsewhere in the squad. McGregor’s leadership and on-pitch intelligence have been central to Celtic’s recent dominance. The idea that he could eventually transition into a coaching role provides a longer-term silver lining, even as shorter-term departures loom.
The broader context of these potential exits cannot be ignored. Celtic operate in a market where Premier League and Championship clubs can offer wages and career progression that are difficult to match.
The financial realities of Scottish football mean that when serious interest arrives with the right numbers attached, sales often become a matter of when rather than if. Everton’s reported package, even if it falls short of Celtic’s ideal figure, still represents a substantial return on a player who has given strong service. West Ham’s pursuit of the midfielder follows a similar pattern of persistent interest that eventually forces a decision.
For Martin O’Neill the challenge is twofold. First, he must navigate the final stages of negotiations while protecting the club’s valuation. Second, he needs to begin planning for life without two players who have featured prominently in recent successful campaigns.
The transfer window remains open, and the manager will hope that incoming business can offset the losses. Yet replacing proven performers is rarely seamless, and the emotional impact on the dressing room and the support should not be underestimated.
Fans have already begun debating the merits of the reported deals across social media and fan forums. Some accept the commercial logic and point to the need to strengthen other areas of the squad with the incoming funds. Others feel the club is once again being forced to sell its best assets too readily.
That tension between financial prudence and sporting ambition has defined Celtic’s modern era. Moments like this bring it into sharp focus.
The coming days will reveal whether the deals can be completed at figures acceptable to all parties. If the Everton move for the right-back progresses as expected, Celtic will bank a significant fee while losing a player who has proven his quality both domestically and internationally. Should West Ham return with a more competitive offer for the midfielder, a second high-profile departure could follow in short order.
Either scenario leaves the squad thinner and the manager with work to do before the new season begins in earnest.
In the meantime the sense of heartbreak among the support is genuine. These are not peripheral squad members. They are players who have contributed to title success and cup glory, who have worn the jersey with distinction, and who now appear set to move on.
The club will continue its business, the fixtures will keep coming, and new faces will eventually arrive. But for many supporters the immediate feeling is one of loss.
Celtic have faced similar summers before and emerged stronger. Whether that pattern holds this time will depend on the quality of the replacements and the ability of the remaining squad to absorb the disruption.
For now the focus remains on the negotiations themselves and the knowledge that two important pieces of the recent successful side are edging closer to the exit door. The next few days promise to be pivotal, and the emotional stakes for everyone connected with the club could not be clearer.