Celtic Eyes Yves Bissouma as O’Neill Seeks Midfield Strength

Martin O’Neill’s Celtic rebuild has found a familiar Premier League name on its radar. Yves Bissouma, released by Tottenham and now a free agent, is being closely monitored as the club looks to inject authority and composure into a midfield exposed on the European stage.

The 29-year-old, once one of the most dynamic ball-winners in England’s top flight, offers something Celtic badly lacked in their bruising Champions League exit to LASK. In Austria, O’Neill’s side lost control in the middle of the pitch and never recovered. They were overrun, unable to dictate tempo or stem the tide once the game began to slip away.

Bissouma’s profile speaks directly to that problem. He wins the ball, keeps it, then drives forward through pressure. At his best, he doesn’t just break up play, he bends matches back in his team’s favour with those surging carries that turn defence into attack in a heartbeat.

For a club operating within a strict budget, the word “free” is powerful. No transfer fee, proven Premier League pedigree, and a skill set that fits a glaring need. On paper, it looks almost too convenient.

It isn’t. Because Celtic are not alone.

Journalist Lassana Camara reports that Ajax and İstanbul Başakşehir have already moved into position, with all three clubs tracking the Mali international as the transfer window nears its conclusion. Ajax, rebuilding and rebranding once again, see an experienced midfield presence who could anchor a new cycle in Amsterdam. Başakşehir, pushing to stay relevant in Turkey’s upper reaches, view him as a ready-made leader in the engine room.

Celtic, meanwhile, are watching closely, aware that the market for a free Bissouma will not stay quiet for long.

Camara outlines the situation starkly: Bissouma, free since leaving Tottenham, is attracting “several European clubs” as the window ticks towards its final days. Ajax have “reportedly expressed interest” in bringing him to the Netherlands. In Turkey, İstanbul Başakşehir like his profile. In Scotland, Celtic Glasgow are keeping a close eye on every development.

That’s the race. One player, three distinct projects, each offering a different route back to prominence for a midfielder who has already spent several seasons in the Premier League and now stands at a crossroads.

For Celtic, the question is sharp and immediate. After the trauma of that collapse against LASK, can they afford to head into the heart of the season without a specialist who relishes the dirty work and can still play under pressure?

The coming hours, as Camara notes, should bring clarity on Bissouma’s next move. Whether that path runs through Glasgow, Amsterdam or Istanbul will say plenty about both the player’s ambitions and Celtic’s willingness to back O’Neill’s judgment when the right opportunity appears on their doorstep.