Celtic have reportedly had a bid rejected for Sarpsborg winger Sondre Ørjasæter, with the Hoops falling short of the Norwegian side’s valuation.
With Luis Palma appearing set to join Olympiacos in Greece, a move for Ørjasæter seems to be a potential replacement for Palma. However, with Jota having re-signed on Monday and James Forrest’s injury likely forcing the Hoops into the market for another winger, it makes sense.
Sarpsborg’s valuation of the 21-year-old Norwegian U21 international is said to be far apart from the Hoops’ offer, making it likely that this deal will drag on over the weekend ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline.
Brendan Rodgers did, however, state at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday that he was unaware of any bid for Ørjasæter, which casts doubt on his own involvement in any potential deal, bringing flashbacks to the Marian Shved debacle when Rodgers previously said in 2019 that the Hoops had a million wingers.
Things have moved on since then between Rodgers and Celtic, especially since his return to the club in 2023, with his involvement in transfers clear to see over the last two transfer windows. However, his comments may be more a reflection of the Hoops going through a busy fixture schedule, meaning he is unable to be as actively involved in recruitment.
Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph reports on X that:
“Sarpsborg have rejected Celtic’s opening bid of £4.6m for winger Sondre Ørjasæter.
“The Norwegian club are trying to resist bids in this window, but Celtic are looking to pursue a deal. It’s understood Sarpsborg value the 21-year-old at around £7m.
“Negotiations continue.”
Whether Celtic will be able to sign Ørjasæter this month remains to be seen, with Sarpsborg wanting to play hardball over a potential transfer due to their preference to keep him until the summer.
However, with the Hoops having the chance to reach the last 16 of the Champions League, they appear to be going all out to have the team in the best condition to compete against either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the knockout playoffs.
