Celtic Consider Robbie Keane for Managerial Role Amid O'Neill Talks
Celtic’s managerial search has taken a sharp, familiar turn. Robbie Keane, once a talisman in green and white, is now a serious contender to lead the club from the dugout, with constructive talks already held and further discussions pencilled in for this week.
The conversations with Keane mark a decisive move from the Celtic hierarchy, who are under pressure to find a long-term figurehead capable of sustaining domestic dominance and restoring European credibility. Keane, with his profile, charisma and deep connection to the support, fits the bill in several obvious ways. The next round of talks will test whether he also fits it in the details that matter most: structure, budget, and control.
Behind the scenes, principal shareholder Dermot Desmond is not limiting his focus to one man. He plans to sit down with interim boss Martin O’Neill to gauge the veteran manager’s appetite for staying on at the club in some capacity. O’Neill’s return, even on a short-term basis, has steadied the mood and reconnected Celtic with a golden era. Desmond now needs to decide how much of that experience he wants embedded in the new regime.
Does O’Neill become a sounding board, a mentor, a boardroom voice? Or does Celtic draw a clean line and hand full authority to the next man in the technical area? Those conversations will shape the power structure around whoever ultimately gets the job.
Rangers move early for Skoglund
Across the city, Rangers are not waiting for the summer window to gather pace. They have opened direct contact with the representatives of Hammarby right-back Hampus Skoglund, signalling a clear intent to strengthen the flanks of their defence.
Skoglund, tied to the Swedish club for another three years, will not be a cheap or straightforward acquisition. Long contracts give selling clubs leverage, and Hammarby know it. Rangers’ decision to go straight to the player’s camp shows they are serious, testing the waters on personal terms and willingness to move before engaging in the harder part: striking a fee that suits all sides.
For a squad that has creaked in key moments, especially in wide defensive areas, Skoglund represents a profile Rangers have often targeted: young enough to develop, contracted long enough to demand a fee, but potentially transformative if they get the deal right.
West Ham circle Scottish talent
Further south, West Ham United are turning their attention to Scotland as they reshape a squad preparing for life in the Championship.
The London club have made an initial enquiry about Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, as they begin to assemble a side built for a gruelling second tier campaign. An enquiry is only a first step, but it plants a flag. Mulligan’s energy and age make him an appealing option for a club that will need legs, durability and resale value in equal measure.
West Ham are not stopping there. They are also monitoring Celtic centre-forward Callum Osmand, a 20-year-old regarded highly by the Scottish champions. That admiration cuts both ways: Celtic are thought to be very reluctant to part with him.
Osmand’s situation underlines the tension between English clubs hunting value north of the border and Scottish giants determined to keep hold of their best emerging talent. West Ham can watch, scout and position themselves, but prising a promising striker from a title-winning squad is another matter entirely.
So the picture sharpens. Celtic weigh Keane and the O’Neill question. Rangers push on with Skoglund. West Ham cast their net over Mulligan and keep a close eye on Osmand. The decisions made in the coming weeks will not just shape squads; they will redraw the lines of power between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London for the seasons to come.
