25 Jul 2026 17:02 BST |
4 min read
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Celtic are stepping up their pursuit of Las Palmas goalkeeper Dinko Horkas, but two factors are complicating a potential deal.
The Hoops are in the market for a new shot-stopper following the retirement of Kasper Schmeichel at the end of last season, which came in the wake of him suffering a serious shoulder injury.
In Viljami Sinisalo, Celtic have a capable goalkeeper, but it is clear that they feel another high-quality option must be signed. Their favoured option for the position appears to be Las Palmas sar Horkas.
The former Croatian youth international looks likely to leave the LaLiga2 club this summer, but Las Palmas will not make life easy for his suitors. According to La Provincia, the Spanish side are demanding up to €10 million to sell him.
They are trying to stand firm on their valuation and have been boosted in this endeavour by the emergence of new suitors. Celtic have been “the most active” club trying to strike a deal, but they now face serious competition.
Horkas complications
The Spanish publication reports that an unnamed Saudi club has entered the race for Horkas, which is a major concern for Celtic because clubs from the Kingdom are able to “alter any deal due to their financial resources.”
As a result, the Parkhead side have been compelled to accelerate their pursuit of Horkas. Las Palmas feel that they are in a strong financial position and don’t need to sell, but club chiefs are keen to resolve the situation quickly and, if need be, to agree a swift sale.
Sorting out the future of the goalkeeper, whose contract expires in two years, has become “one of the top priorities” of the second-tier side. Previous interest from clubs like Olympiacos, Torino and Levante was not as advanced as Celtic’s is now.
However, it seems that Las Palmas haven’t been best pleased with how the Glasgow giants have gone about the talks. At a recent press conference, president Miguel Angel Ramirez scolded Horkas’ suitors for starting discussions with the player before receiving the club’s approval.
“We know there are interested clubs,” Ramirez said. “But they’ve started on the wrong foot because they are negotiating with him without negotiating with us.”
It is believed that Celtic, who have just agreed a club-record deal to sign Bodo/Glimt striker Kasper Hogh, are looking to pay around €5m for Horkas, which is well short of Las Palmas’ demands.
The problem the Spanish club face, though, is that the goalkeeper has allegedly requested to leave. It is possible that Celtic and Las Palmas will meet somewhere in the middle – if they can manage to fend off the Saudi interest in the 27-year-old.
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