Celtic could be preparing for a major squad overhaul this summer with several high-profile names now expected to leave following the domestic double-winning season under Martin O’Neill.
According to journalist Stephen McGowan in The Herald, transfer planning is already well underway behind the scenes ahead of another huge rebuild.
And the report claims Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and Paulo Bernardo are all expected to “spearhead a long list of exits” from Celtic Park.
Some of those departures have looked increasingly likely for months.
Maeda came extremely close to joining Wolfsburg last summer before Celtic blocked the move because they could not secure a replacement before the deadline.
The Japanese forward has since delivered one of the most explosive finishing runs in recent Celtic history, scoring in seven consecutive matches as the Hoops surged to the title and Scottish Cup.
But with only one year remaining on his contract and the player openly discussing his desire to test himself against “top-level players”, there is now a growing expectation he will move on.
Arne Engels is another player attracting enormous interest.
Celtic rejected three bids for the Belgian midfielder in January, with the final Nottingham Forest offer reportedly reaching around £25million.
The club stood firm at the time given the importance of the title race, but there is now a feeling a bidding war could emerge this summer after Engels finished the season strongly under O’Neill.
Paulo Bernardo’s situation appears far clearer.
The Portuguese midfielder has struggled badly for involvement throughout the second half of the campaign and was reportedly keen on securing a loan move away during the January window.
Instead, he remained in Glasgow – but barely featured.
Bernardo has not been involved in a Celtic matchday squad since March against Motherwell and did not make the bench once during the split.
He has played only six times in the 2026 calendar year for Celtic, making a summer exit feel almost inevitable at this stage.
Reo Hatate’s potential departure perhaps feels the saddest of the lot.
At his best, the Japanese midfielder has been one of the most talented players Celtic have possessed in recent years.
But inconsistency this season eventually saw him fall out of the starting side during the defining weeks of the campaign.
For a player who played such a huge role across multiple trophy-winning seasons, it would be a disappointing end if this really does prove to be the conclusion of his Celtic career.
