Reported Celtic target seals £5.5m move; another Hoops-linked star is Austria-bound

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Celtic have missed out on signing two exciting attackers, with Brenden Aaronson set for Red Bull Salzburg and Noa Lang swapping Ajax for Club Brugge.

In April, when the Scottish Premiership season was cut short, many a Hoops fan was tossing and turning, wondering how many star players the champions would be forced to sell during a period of unprecedented financial instability.

But with the window now shut, everyone at Celtic can breathe an almighty sigh of relief.

Odsonne Edouard, Olivier Ntcham, Callum McGregor, Kristoffer Ajer and more are still wearing green and white with none of Neil Lennon’s star players departing.

Celtic also managed to reinforce a number of key positions. Diego Laxalt, the 24-cap Uruguay international, joins from AC Milan as an obvious upgrade on Boli Bolingoli.

If there’s a downside, however, it’s that two highly rated forwards won’t be wearing Celtic colours this season.

The Glasgow giants were linked with Dutch U21 international Lang by Goal. But Ajax have sold the winger to Brugge instead, with the Belgian champions agreeing a loan deal that will automatically become a £5.5 million permanent transfer next summer (VI).

Meanwhile, Brenden the ‘American Kai Havertz’ Aaronson is swapping Philadelphia Union for the dominant force of Austrian football.

There has been no official confirmation yet but Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch, a fellow MLS export, has let the cat out of the bag.

“Yeah, we’re getting an American!” he told Sky. “Super guy, super mentality!”

Aaronson, linked with Celtic by MLS Soccer, could become the latest fresh-faced wunderkind to graduate from Salzburg’s finishing school after Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane, Takumi Minamino, Naby Keita and Duje Caleta-Car.