Celtic's Midfield Dilemma: Pursuit of Yves Bissouma

Celtic’s bruising Champions League exit has not only left a mark on the club’s pride. It has sharpened their focus on a glaring problem area: the heart of midfield.

Martin O’Neill, back in the thick of it and under pressure to steady a shaken side, is weighing a bold move. Celtic are closely tracking Yves Bissouma, the former Tottenham midfielder now available on a free transfer after leaving Spurs.

A 29-year-old with years of Premier League football behind him does not often walk the market for nothing. That alone makes Bissouma intriguing. His profile makes him essential reading.

This is a player built for the dirty work and the daring run. At his best, Bissouma snaps into tackles, wins the ball back in tight spaces, then drives through pressure with the kind of composure Celtic so badly lacked in Austria against LASK. When O’Neill’s side crumbled and lost control of the middle of the pitch, it underlined just how much they are missing a midfielder who relishes that chaos and bends it to his will.

The collapse in Austria did not just end a European campaign. It exposed a soft centre.

So Celtic are looking. And they are not alone.

Journalist Lassana Camara reports that the Glasgow club are “closely following” Bissouma’s situation as the transfer window ticks towards its close. The Mali international is drawing interest from across the continent, with Ajax and İstanbul Başakşehir also in the frame.

Three-Way Pursuit

Camara details a three-way pursuit. Ajax Amsterdam, searching for stability and steel in their own midfield rebuild, have reportedly entered the race and want to bring Bissouma to the Netherlands. In Turkey, İstanbul Başakşehir FK like his profile as well. And in Scotland, Celtic are monitoring every development as they weigh whether this is the moment to move.

The appeal is obvious. Bissouma knows the tempo of elite football. He has survived and, at times, thrived in the Premier League, a league that tests both technique and temperament. For a Celtic side trying to reassert themselves in Europe after a “disastrous” exit, adding that level of experience on a free would be a rare chance to upgrade without a transfer fee.

The question is whether they can convince him that Glasgow is the right next step.

Bissouma stands at a crossroads in his career. After several seasons in England, he now has the chance to reset his trajectory in Europe. Ajax offers a storied platform and a clear route back into major continental competition. Başakşehir provides a different kind of project in Turkey’s top flight. Celtic can put something else on the table: a fierce football city, a demanding crowd, domestic dominance to chase, and the promise of Champions League nights—if they can earn their way back.

As the window edges towards its conclusion, the margins grow thin. One call, one offer, one final push from a sporting director or a manager can swing a decision.

For Celtic, still nursing the wounds of that LASK defeat, the stakes are obvious. Do they turn interest into action and give O’Neill the ball-winner and ball-carrier he so clearly needs? Or does Bissouma choose a different stage for his next act?