Celtic line up Hogh as Maeda heads to Ipswich and Danilo jets to Brazil

Celtic are paying a record fee to sign Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh, with the Danish forward due a medical within 24 hours. The deal runs parallel to Daizen Maeda's completed move to Ipswich Town on a contract to summer 2029, Celtic's pursuit of Croatian goalkeeper Horkas from Spain's second tier, and confirmation that Paderborn have rejected a £4m bid for midfielder Baur.

Across Glasgow, Rangers have sent Danilo back to Brazil on loan, ending a stay that cost more in wages and transfer fee than the forward ever produced at Ibrox.

Maeda joins Ipswich on a deal to 2029

Maeda arrived in January 2022 under Ange Postecoglou and became one of the Australian's most trusted attackers. His pressing and channel running made him a Celtic Park favourite even when his finishing wavered. Under Brendan Rodgers he adapted to a more disciplined role without losing the intensity that defined his game.

Ipswich, back in the Premier League and building for survival, need energy and directness in the final third. The fee has not been disclosed, but Celtic were willing sellers, consistent with the direction Rodgers wants to take the squad. Maeda turns 29 this year, and Ipswich have secured him on a four-year commitment that gives the club cost certainty and the player a stable platform.

The departure frees wage budget and a squad registration slot, both of which Rodgers can redirect toward the Hogh deal, the goalkeeper pursuit, and further January business.

Hogh medical confirmed as Celtic prepare to break their transfer record

The previous benchmark stood at the fees paid for Arne Engels and Odsonne Edouard. Surpassing that mark for a striker from the Norwegian Eliteserien reflects how highly Rodgers rates the target and how the Scandinavian market has inflated in recent windows.

Rodgers has confirmed publicly that Hogh is due to undergo a medical within the next 24 hours, putting a concrete timeline on a transfer that had been building for several days. That disclosure signals the clubs have agreed a fee and only personal terms and medical formalities remain.

Bodo/Glimt sell at the right price and replace efficiently. Hogh would arrive mid-season in match fitness terms: the Norwegian Eliteserien runs on a calendar-year schedule, an advantage Maeda also held when he first joined Celtic. The adjustment would come in the Champions League qualifiers that arrive early in the Scottish campaign.

Celtic's recruitment department have targeted the Scandinavian market before with mixed returns. The profile they are after this time is a striker who can hold the ball, bring others into play, and finish with conviction: one built for the system rather than one Rodgers has to build a system around.

Paderborn reject £4m Baur offer

Celtic's bid for Paderborn midfielder Baur has been turned down, with the German club rejecting a £4m offer. The proposal was amid conflicting reports over a winger's proposed move to the Scottish champions, complicating Rodgers's January business beyond the striker and goalkeeper pursuits already in motion.

Horkas pursuit and goalkeeper competition

Horkas, the Croatian goalkeeper currently playing in Spain's second tier, is on Celtic's radar as a potential addition between the posts. The club are closing in on a deal that would bring the goalkeeper to Glasgow, adding depth and competition to a position where Rodgers has previously rotated. The pursuit of a goalkeeper from La Liga 2 fits Celtic's habit of shopping in lower-profile European divisions for value.

Danilo returns to Brazil after injury-disrupted Ibrox spell

Danilo arrived at Ibrox with considerable expectations. The Brazilian had shown quality in the Eredivisie and was viewed as a significant investment. Injuries disrupted his time in Glasgow almost from the start, limiting appearances and denying him any sustained run of form. Rangers fans saw glimpses of his ability, but never enough to justify the outlay.

The loan to Brazil is a pragmatic move. Danilo gets regular football in familiar surroundings, Rangers get his wages off the books, and the player rebuilds his fitness and market value away from Scottish football. Philippe Clement can redirect those wages toward attacking reinforcements, with Rangers needing to close the gap at the top of the Scottish Premiership.