Celtic eye former Premier League goalkeeper as shrewd summer signing

Celtic Identify This Former Premier League Goalkeeper as a Summer Target Why he Could Be a Shrewd Signing, after the club’s recent goalkeeping turnover left a void following the departure of Aaron Ramsdale and the injury‑plagued season of George Long. The Irish international Gavin Bazunu offers a potential solution.

Celtic have added Gavin Bazunu to a shortlist that also features Balazs Toth and Leo Cavallius, indicating a clear intent to refresh the position.

Competition from Dinamo Zagreb

They are not alone; Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb are also weighing a move for the Southampton custodian, adding pressure to Celtic’s pursuit.

The 24‑year‑old Republic of Ireland international progressed through Shamrock Rovers’ academy in his homeland before earning senior status at 16, demonstrating early promise.

Manchester City signed him soon after his emergence, then loaned him to Rochdale and Portsmouth in League One to gain regular game time.

Injuries and Recent Setbacks

At Portsmouth he was named Player of the Season, which earned a high‑profile £12m transfer to Southampton in 2022.

Southampton finished rock bottom and were relegated, but Bazunu kept his place and helped the club achieve an immediate return to the top flight.

An Achilles injury in April 2024 ruled him out for months, and on his return he slipped to third in the pecking order behind Aaron Ramsdale and Alex McCarthy.

The Saints loaned him to Standard Liège in February 2025, but the Belgian side sent him back a couple of months later after a fresh fitness concern.

He made 19 appearances in the first half of the previous campaign before losing the starting spot to Daniel Peretz, then a loan to Stoke City in the Championship yielded only six appearances due to a thigh injury.

Bazunu is contracted until the summer of 2027, and the Hampshire side is expected to accept a minuscule fee rather than lose him for nothing a year later.

Celtic have traditionally favoured high‑profile veterans for short‑term stability, signing Kasper Schmeichel after Joe Hart’s retirement and later relying on Sinisalo as the number 1.

With Ross Doohan viewed as the third choice, Bazunu would challenge and cover Sinisalo rather than replace him, offering a fresh start north of the border to shake off recent disappointment and despair.