Celtic have begun preparations to strengthen Brendan Rodgers’ squad ahead of next season and have identified FC Augsburg’s Elvis Rexhbeçaj as a potential signing.
According to Fussball Transfers, the Scottish champions are among several clubs showing interest in the 27-year-old midfielder.
Rexhbeçaj, who has made 24 appearances this season, is weighing up his future, with Celtic, Beşiktaş, and Parma among the clubs outside Germany that have inquired about his availability.
Additionally, unnamed Championship sides have also expressed interest.
With just over 15 months remaining on his contract, Augsburg have been pushing for an extension, but negotiations have stalled.
One key factor in the deadlock is Rexhbeçaj’s limited playing time under manager Jess Thorup—he was used sparingly in February and left as an unused substitute in three league matches.
Although he made two appearances in March before the international break, his dissatisfaction remains.
Should he fail to agree to a new deal in the coming months, Augsburg are expected to sell him in the next transfer window to avoid losing him on a free in 2026.
However, there is no indication yet of the fee Celtic or other suitors would need to secure his services.
Celtic face anxious wait after Schmeichel injured during international duty
Celtic face a nervous wait to determine the severity of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s shoulder injury, sustained while on international duty with Denmark.
The 38-year-old suffered the injury during extra time in Denmark’s Nations League quarter-final defeat to Portugal on Sunday night. However, with all substitutions already made, Schmeichel was forced to continue playing despite clear discomfort.
Danish media reports on Monday suggested the veteran keeper was seen wearing a sling as the squad prepared to depart Lisbon. Head coach Brian Riemer later admitted that had a substitution been possible, Schmeichel would have been taken off during the 5-3 aggregate loss at the Estádio José Alvalade.
Celtic will now await further medical assessments to determine how long the experienced shot-stopper may be sidelined.
“If it had been possible, I would have replaced Kasper Schmeichel when he was injured, but we had already used all our substitutes,” he said. “We talked about taking Kasper off, but he didn’t want to go off himself.
“As long as he could stand in goal, it was an advantage for us to have 11 players on the field. The alternative would have been to have only nine outfield players if we had to send a player off.”
Schmeichel has been a near ever-present for Celtic this season, starting 46 of the club’s 47 competitive fixtures. The only match he missed was last month’s Scottish Cup fifth-round win over Raith Rovers.
In his absence, 23-year-old Viljami Sinisalo—who arrived from Aston Villa last summer—stepped in and would likely be called upon again if Schmeichel is unable to recover in time for Saturday’s William Hill Premiership clash against Hearts.
Celtic, currently 13 points clear at the top of the table, are in the final stretch of their campaign, with eight league matches remaining and a Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone at Hampden next month as they push for a domestic treble.
Before sustaining his injury, Schmeichel produced a crucial first-half penalty save to deny Cristiano Ronaldo, but it wasn’t enough to prevent Denmark from losing the tie. As a result, they now join Scotland’s 2026 World Cup qualification group alongside Greece and Belarus.
