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How Celtic could sign an even better midfielder than Sigur

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Morocco's Sofyan Amrabat in action with Canada's Niko Sigur

Published Aug 18, 2026, 8:10 AM GMT+1

Daniel is an experienced football writer and editor with more than a decade of experience covering the professional game, specialising in the Championship, Football League and Scottish football, alongside in-depth coverage of Norwich City, Celtic and Rangers.

A journalist since 2015, Daniel began his career writing for Fresh Press before progressing into a full-time writing and editing role, producing club-focused coverage for Read Norwich, Read Celtic, Read Liverpool and Read Arsenal. He later spent almost a year with Liverpool-based outlet Anfield Watch, where his work included conducting and transcribing interviews with figures including Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg, former Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa and journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Daniel has worked with Snack Media (now Valnet) since 2021, contributing to Football FanCast as both a writer and editor. His work focuses particularly on player analysis, transfer insight and original football features, combining detailed knowledge of the game with research-driven assessment of players, clubs and potential moves.

His specialist knowledge of Norwich City and the Football League has also seen him contribute to BBC Norfolk and assist DAZN with research for commentary broadcasts. As a Norwich City season-ticket holder, Daniel brings a level of first-hand knowledge of the club and its players that complements his wider expertise across the Championship and EFL. His Norwich coverage has also featured in publications including the Coventry Telegraph and Liverpool Echo.

Alongside his Football League expertise, Daniel has covered Celtic and Rangers extensively, developing a strong understanding of Scottish football. His work gives readers informed transfer assessment, detailed player analysis and authoritative insight into clubs and competitions he has spent years following and reporting on.

Celtic are in the market to add another option to their ranks in the middle of the park after Arne Engels completed a move away from Paradise last week.

The Belgium international has signed for Championship outfit West Ham United in a deal worth £22m, representing a profit on the £11m that the club paid Augsburg for his services in 2022.

Mika Baur has already been brought in from Paderborn for a fee of £6.8m, but he may be viewed as a replacement for Reo Hatate, who could depart before next month's deadline.

With two domestic cups, the Scottish Premiership, and a potential Champions League campaign, Martin O'Neill will need plenty of options at his disposal in midfield.

The type of midfielder Celtic need to sign

The Northern Irish head coach already has plenty of midfield players who offer technical quality and goal contributions in the final third, with Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, who scored against Dundee United, Luke McCowan, and Mika Baur.

What the veteran manager needs, instead, is a central or defensive midfielder who can offer something different to the team, by bringing mobility and physicality to the middle of the park.

The Hoops went out in the play-off stage of the Europa League last term and they may have gone further if they had more strength to their team in midfield.

25/26 Europa League

Callum McGregor

Appearances	10
Dribbled past per game	0.9x
Duel success rate	43%
Ground duel success rate	48%
Aerial duel success rate	18%
Duels won per game	2.9

For example, McGregor, the team's starting number six, lost the majority of his physical duels and was almost dribbled past once per match on average in Europe in the 2025/26 campaign.

The task that the recruitment team need to complete, therefore, is to add more of a physical presence to the team so that the Hoops can compete against the best of the best.

Celtic considering deal to sign midfield powerhouse

Hajduk Split defensive midfielder Niko Sigur is one player who has already been linked with a move to Paradise, but the club are also looking at a star who would be an even better addition to the squad.

CeltsAreHere reports that Celtic are lining up several different targets in the central midfield position in their quest to replace Engels before next month's deadline.

The outlet claims that Torino central midfielder Gvidas Gineitis is a long-term target for the Scottish giants, but they have yet to open formal talks with the Italian side.

It adds that a fee of around £9m would be enough to tempt the club into cashing in on the Lithuania international, although it is revealed that O'Neill is considering Sigur and Gineitis as potential options to fill their midfield vacancy.

The Torino star would be an even better addition to the squad to bolster the club's chances in European competitions for several reasons, including the fact that he is a specialist central midfielder.

Sigur split his minutes between right-back and defensive midfield for Hajduk Split last term, with Gineitis is an out-and-out central midfielder who showcased his physicality in the Serie A.

25/26 Serie A

Gineitis

Appearances	29
Tackles per game	1.6
Interceptions per game	0.8
Duels won per game	4.2
Duel success rate	55%
Ground duel success rate	56%
Aerial duel success rate	51%

The 22-year-old star, who won 78% of his duels in his Coppa Italia opener last week, won the majority of his duels both on the ground and in the air in one of Europe's major leagues, which is important to note.

Gineitis has also showed off his quality on the international stage for Lithuania in recent years, scoring five goals in 32 caps for his country at senior level, which shows that he can make an impact offensively and defensively.

Sigur, meanwhile, has no experience in a major European league or in a European competition, and he lost 55% of his aerial duels across 29 appearances in the HNL last season.

He was only trusted to play 135 minutes at the World Cup for Canada, playing in three of their five matches, and lost 60% of his duels at the tournament, including 75% of his ground duels.

Gineitis, therefore, seems far more likely to provide the mobility and physicality in midfield that Celtic currently lack on the European stage, given what he has delivered on the pitch for Torino in Italy.

The £9m-rated star could be the physically and aerially dominant midfielder that O'Neill's side did not have in the 2025/26 campaign, which is why they should pursue a deal to bring him to Parkhead instead of signing Sigur in the coming weeks.

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