Celtic just need to agree on personal terms with right-back Aurelio Buta, according to The Daily Record’s Scott Burns.
The Lowdown: Buta profiled
Buta is 24 years of age and has been of interest to Celtic for a number of weeks now.
The Portuguese defender, who can also play further forward, has made 109 appearances for Royal Antwerp after joining back in 2018.
A former Portugal Under-20 international, Buta has less than 12 months remaining on his contract and appears to be the Hoops’ next target.
The Latest: £3m deal agreed
According to Burns’ report late on Tuesday evening, Buta is next on Celtic’s transfer spree. A £3m deal has been agreed between Celtic and Royal Antwerp, who are still in talks over a transfer.
Burns adds that all is left is for the full-back to agree on personal terms ahead of a move to Glasgow.
Buta is on £4,500-a-week with his current employers, £1,000-a-week less than Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston.
This all goes against the claims of the media in Belgium, who suggest a deal is not as advanced as Burns believes.
The Verdict: McKay closing in on another big-money move
Dominic McKay has helped Celtic spend relatively big during his first summer as CEO, and it seems as if Buta could be his fourth addition at £3m or over after Liel Abada, Carl Starfelt and Kyogo Furuhashi.
FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.
By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.
A new right-back is wanted by Ange Postecoglou, and you’d hope Celtic would be willing to offer Buta, who has experience in the Europa League, something Ralston doesn’t, a respectable Parkhead salary.
The Hoops man is valued at £270,000, whereas Buta’s Transfermarkt valuation is £3.15m, so you wouldn’t blame Buta for holding out for a Celtic salary greater than Ralston’s.
In other news: Loan to buy: Celtic exploring move for ‘fantastic’ ace; could be their biggest summer signing.