Dream 1st signing for Nancy: Celtic plot move for “exceptional” £90k-p/w star
da bet7： Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy was left to rue missed chances after his team lost 2-1 to Hearts at Parkhead in the Scottish Premiership in his first game in the dugout.
da mrbet： Speaking after the match, in the clip below, the French boss blamed a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal and a lack of combination play in the final third after a bright first-half showing.
With the January transfer window just around the corner, the former MLS boss may already be thinking about the areas of his squad that he wants to improve ahead of the second half of the season.
Celtic plotting move to sign Premier League player
In fact, the Scottish Premiership champions are already looking at a possible move for a player who could be a dream first signing for Nancy at Parkhead.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to Football Insider, Celtic are plotting a move to sign Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega to be their long-term replacement for Kasper Schmeichel.
The report claims that the Hoops are looking at the £90k-per-week shot-stopper because he could be available with his contract expiring at the end of the season, which could make him an option in January for a cut-price fee or on a free next summer.
It adds that the Scottish giants are in the process of identifying a replacement for Schmeichel because the 38-year-old veteran’s deal is also due to expire next year.
Football Insider states that there are also immediate concerns about the Dane’s current performance levels, which is why Ortega could be a dream first signing for Nancy.
Why Celtic should sign Stefan Ortega in January
Instead of waiting to sign him on a free transfer in the summer, Celtic should push to land the Manchester City outcast on a cut-price deal in January, as he is currently behind both Gianluigi Donnarumma and James Trafford in the pecking order at The Etihad.
As Football Insider outlined, Schmeichel’s performance level has not been particularly high for the Hoops this season. Per FotMob, the experienced stopper has conceded 1.34 more goals than expected in the Premiership and 0.50 more than expected in the Europa League.
This suggests that the Denmark international has not been up to scratch as a shot-stopper in domestic or European action for Celtic, which is why signing the City goalkeeper immediately could be a shrewd move.
Ortega, who once left Guardiola on the floor with a save against Tottenham Hotspur, may only be a third-choice option in England, but he is playing for serial Premier League winners and has proven his quality in the English top-flight in seasons gone by.
Whilst Schmeichel has struggled as a shot-stopper for Celtic this season, the German star has largely been an excellent shot-stopper in the Premier League and the Bundesliga in the past five years.
Stefan Ortega in Bundesliga & Premier League
Season
Games
Goals (xG) prevented
25/26 (Premier League)
0
N/A
24/25 (Premier League)
13
-0.7
23/24 (Premier League)
7
+2.0
22/23 (Premier League)
3
+3.1
21/22 (Bundesliga)
33
+4.8
20/21 (Bundesliga)
34
+3.1
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the 33-year-old has conceded 12.3 fewer goals than expected across his top-flight career to date, which is an exceptional statistic that highlights how impressive his shot-stopping is.
Ortega, who was hailed as an “exceptional goalkeeper”, has shown that he can be a reliable shot-stopper at the top level, whilst journalist Pete O’Rourke noted that he is “very effective” with the ball and would “fit” the style that Nancy wants to implement at Parkhead.
His ability on the ball, which is a prerequisite to playing in goal in a Guardiola side, means that he will suit a team like Celtic, who are expected to dominate possession and play out from the back, making him a good stylistic fit for the club.
Ortega, though, also has, as evidenced by his statistics in Germany and England, the shot-stopping quality on top of that to ensure that the Hoops do not concede cheap goals with the few shots that they do give away.
Worse than Maeda: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost the ball 23 times
Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy must drop this flop who was even worse than Daizen Maeda against Hearts.
ByDan Emery 4 days ago
Therefore, the board must back Nancy by making a move for Ortega in January, instead of the summer, because a player of his quality could immediately improve the team and improve their chances of enjoying a successful end to the 2025/26 campaign, making him a dream first signing.
