Celtic win race for star and eye Japanese duo as Rangers target responds to Ibrox interest - transfer news

Here is your Sunday lunchtime transfer bulletin as Celtic secure a new signing while eyeing up the Japanese market, Dundee United close in on a loan signing and Rangers target responds directly to Ibrox interest...

Celtic win race for star

Celtic have won the race to sign Benjamin Nygren after clinching a £1.2million deal for the Nordsjælland winger. That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano who reported on Saturday night that the Sweden international has agreed a four-year contract with the Scottish champions with the option of a further year. The 23-year-old attacker scored 16 times in 32 matches for the Danish club last season with his form earning him a maiden call-up to the Sweden squad, where he has already notched two goals in four appearances. Nygren, who was available on a cut-price deal due to only having six months left on his contract, had also been attracting interest from Anderlecht, Copenhagen and the MLS.

Celtic have clinched a deal for Sweden winger Benjamin Nygren. (Photo by David Balogh/Getty Images) | Getty Images

United close in on striker loan

Dundee United are close to securing a loan move for Bosnia international striker Said Hamulic. The 24-year-old, who was linked with Celtic two years ago, is currently on the books of Ligue 1 side Toulouse, who paid £1.7million to sign him in January 2023 following a prolific spell with Polish outfit Stal Mielec. A move to the Scottish Premiership could now be on the cards, with reports claiming the 24-year-old is destined for a season-long loan move to Tannadice. Hamulic has had a nomadic career to date, with spells in the Netherlands, Lithuania and Poland before arriving in France. He has struggled to make his mark with Les Violets, however, managing just six substitute appearances and being sent out on loan to Vitesse Arnhem, Lokomotiv Moscow and Widzew Lodz, over the past two years, failing to find the net for all three clubs.

Japanese duo on Celtic radar

Celtic have raided the Japanese market to great effect in recent times, particularly with the signings of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate, who have each played a major role in a trophy-laden era for the club. There have also been some arrivals who were less successful with Tomoki Iwata, Yuki Kobayashi and Yosuke Ideguchi seeing their time at Parkhead cut short after failing to hold down a first-team place. Now Celtic could be set to go down the Japanese route again with speculation linking them to not one, but two new arrivals from the J-League. Reports emerged last week of interest in 23-year-old Japanese defender Hayato Inamura, who is currently playing for Albirex Niigata and primarily plays as a left-sided centre-back but can also provide cover at left full-back. Now a new report this weekend has also credited Celtic with a move for Kawasaki Frontale frontman Shin Yamada. The 25-year-old striker netted 32 goals in 119 appearances for the same club that Celtic recruited Hatate from in 2021.

Rangers have been linked with Westerlo forward Matija Frigan. (Photo by BRUNO FAHY/Belga/AFP via Getty Images) | Belga/AFP via Getty Images

Rangers target responds to Ibrox interest

Croatian striker Matija Frigan has responded to rumoured interest from Rangers by insisting a move to Ibrox would be perfect for him. The 22-year-old is currently with Belgian club club Westerlo - who last week appointed former Ibrox coach Issame Charai as their new manager - where he has netted 18 goals in 69 appearances. Hamburg have also been linked with a move for the frontman, who has been called up the Croatian national squad in the past but has yet to be capped. "Rangers? That style of league would suit me,"

Frigan told media in his homeland. "I think I'm a player for that type of football. I know about the interest from clubs, it's good to hear and read such things, but we'll see. Nothing has been decided yet. Things are in the hands of my agent and when there is something more concrete, we will know. We will weigh everything up and choose the best option. I have a good season behind me, some clubs are contacting me, but we will see what is best."