Celtic transfers: Developments reported in Jota replacement chase as Brazilians enter fray

Celtic are reported to be eyeing up two Brazilian players as they step up their efforts to replace Jota.

Gremio forward Ferreira has been linked with Celtic.

The cinch Premiership champions sold their Portuguese playmaker to Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ittihad earlier this month for a fee in the region of £25million and while Celtic are not expected to spend all of that windfall, new manager Brendan Rodgers will hope to invest some of the money in a new player to operate in the wide areas of the attack.

Celtic were linked earlier in the month with Tete, a 23-year-old Brazilian who is understood to want an exit from Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk. He spent the second half of last season on loan at Leicester City – who were managed by Rodgers – and he impressed during his time in England. Due to the war in Ukraine, Tete has indicated that he will not return to his parent club, putting Celtic on alert.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, speaking to GiveMeSport, said that Tete is one of a few options for Celtic as they decide how to enter the market. “They [Celtic] are still discussing internally,” Romano said. “I think when you have money, it's not easy on the market because they know you have an important budget to sign that player. This is why they're probably taking some time to assess their options and find the best one. Tete could be one of them, but I'm sure he's not the only one."

Celtic have also been linked with Ferreira, a 25-year-old forward who plays for Gremio. Football Scotland reports that Celtic have contacted the Brazilian outfit for an asking price. A tricky wide-man, Ferreira’s contract expires next year and is claimed to be attracting interest from clubs in the MLS.