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Celtic have been told they will have to replace Cameron Carter-Vickers because the American star wants to leave Tottenham for good.
The Hoops are still in talks with Spurs over the 23-year-old, but any hope of a loan is in vain, with the center-back keen to secure a permanent transfer from the north London club.
Celtic also face a fight with Turkish big guns Galatasaray and Fenerbahce for right-back Aurelio Buta as Ange Postecoglou looks to strengthen his back line.
The Parkhead club are looking for Buta valued at £ 3million, but there are fears Istanbul’s interest could spark a bidding war.
Postecoglou said over the weekend that he was confident he would land “at least two more” signings this week.
Carter-Vickers remains a target but has also attracted interest from Norwich City, Newcastle and Bournemouth where he spent the second half of last season on loan.
Spurs’ £ 5million asking price for the eight-capped US stopper, which is in the final 12 months of his contract, could prove to be a stumbling block with Belgians Anderlecht and Brugge as well related.
Celtic wanted to explore a loan option. But Carter-Vickers is determined to seal a Spurs exit after being on their books for 12 years.
Cap has only made four appearances for the Premier League giants’ top teams, but has had loan spells at Sheffield United, Ipswich, Swansea, Stoke, Luton Town and Bournemouth since 2017.
A source close to the player said: “Cameron needs a fresh start to relaunch his career. A loan transfer is not something he would like.
The Celts are in desperate need of reinforcements, with Olivier Ntcham the last to head for the exit door after Parkhead chiefs yesterday agreed to tear up the remaining year of his contract.
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The 25-year-old was spotted in the Marseille stands on Saturday night, as his former loan club faced Villarreal in a pre-season friendly.
But Ntcham is unlikely to return to the Ligue 1 squad with AEK Athens waiting behind the scenes to hire the midfielder.
Celtic had hoped to cash in a transfer fee but decided to cut their losses to ex-France Under-21s after it was clear they were determined to go.
Boss Postecoglou wants to focus on the entrants after his team’s shortcomings came to light again on Saturday as they crashed into defeat on Day 1 of the season at Hearts.
The Australian pitched new defender Carl Starfelt on his debut and introduced Kyogo Furuhashi from the bench just 24 hours after the couple were released from quarantine.
But the Parkhead chief needs a bunch of new recruits and had hoped to have Buta on board after initial talks progressed.
The Celts are still in the frame but the movement is at a standstill and now the Turkish big hitters have entered the frame.
Postecoglou has several irons in the fire and it is understood that former Everton star James McCarthy’s name has been put on the club, but no decision has yet been made to move him forward.
The 30-year-old – who burst onto the scene as a teenager in Hamilton, is a free agent after his contract with Crystal Palace expired and is reportedly keen to finally sign for Celtic after coming closer to several times.
Sport record understands McCarthy was ready to draft a short-term deal under Brendan Rodgers three years ago – but the Celts weren’t ready to calculate Everton’s loan charges.
The midfielder has been plagued with injuries over the past few seasons and would need several weeks to get up to speed, as the Hoops look for arrivals to have an immediate impact.
Ntcham’s future will be elsewhere, however, after the Frenchman bids his emotional farewell to Celtic fans on his social media.
Ntcham said: “I want to thank everyone at Celtic for the three and a half years that I was there.
“Thank you to all the coaches, staff, players and everyone who works at the club. Finally, I would like to thank the loyal supporters who have always supported us.
“I wish you all the best for the future.”
Ntcham was signed at Man City for £ 4.5million in 2017 and has shown signs of huge potential during his time at the club, with impressive performances against Rangers and in Europe with the winning goal during the Europa League clash against Lazio in Rome in 2019.
The Celts also rejected an offer of around £ 12.5million from Porto 18 months ago, but there have also been some inconsistencies and he has spent much of the last quarter looking for an exit.
He returned from an unsuccessful six-month stay in Marseille swearing to Postecoglou that he was ready to fight for his future after the AEK transfer did not take place at the start.
But he failed to convince the boss and the two sides were content to cut ties.
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