Celtic's Strategic Moves: £1.7m Bid for Sidibe and Summer Transfer Insights

Celtic's £1.7m Bid for Kalidou Sidibe

Celtic has made an initial offer of £1.7m for Guingamp's midfielder Kalidou Sidibe, who currently plays in the French second tier. The 26-year-old, soon to be a Mali international, is also being pursued by Ipswich Town, PSV Eindhoven, Toulouse, and Grasshoppers. This move highlights Celtic's intent to strengthen their midfield as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Blocking Carter-Vickers' Move

Celtic is determined to retain Cameron Carter-Vickers, a 27-year-old centre-half who remains a crucial part of manager Brendan Rodgers' plans. Despite interest from other clubs, Celtic is set to block any potential moves for Carter-Vickers this summer.

Mystery Surrounding Odin Thiago Holm

There is still uncertainty regarding Celtic midfielder Odin Thiago Holm. The 22-year-old, who is on loan to Los Angeles, remains unavailable for his debut selection despite recovering from injury. This situation continues to be a point of intrigue for Celtic fans.

Rennes' Summer Replacements

Rennes is targeting Udinese's Florian Thauvin and Union Saint-Gilloise's Franjo Ivanovic as possible summer replacements. This comes after Kyogo Furuhashi failed to fit into new head coach Habib Beye's style of play following his January transfer from Celtic.

Potential Windfall from Frimpong's Transfer

Celtic could make £6.7m this summer if former right-back Jeremie Frimpong leaves Bayer Leverkusen. Frimpong, who has a £33.7m release clause, has attracted interest from several clubs, potentially providing Celtic with a significant financial boost.

St Johnstone's Missed Opportunity

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari confirmed missing out on signing Norwegian striker Runar Espejord earlier this month. However, Valakari has not ruled out a future attempt to secure the 29-year-old, who recently signed a one-year contract with Haugesund.

Scottish Football Highlights

• George Hirst's Scotland Call-Up: Sheffield-born George Hirst described his maiden Scotland call-up as a "dream come true" after switching allegiance from England.
• Andy Robertson's Record Bid: Scotland left-back Andy Robertson, with 80 caps, is aiming to surpass Kenny Dalglish's record of 102 international appearances.
• John McGinn's Goal Tally: Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn has set his sights on surpassing the all-time Scotland goals record of 30, held by Denis Law and Kenny Dalglish.
• Vaclav Cerny's Controversy: Rangers winger Vaclav Cerny described the Police Scotland probe into his celebration as "absurd."

Special Powers for Police Scotland

The special powers granted to Police Scotland officers to prevent crowd trouble at recent high-profile matches, including the Edinburgh derby and the Old Firm game, will remain in use for the foreseeable future.