Transfers
Celtic Eye This Serie Outcast Should Martin O’Neill
Celtic have identified Dutch left‑midfielder Mitchel Bakker, 26, as a target to bolster their left‑back options, with the Atalanta player valued at around €2.5 million and available before the transfer window closes. The Scottish champions, fresh from clinching the Premiership, hope to add depth behind Kieran Tierney.
Celtic face a clear shortage at left‑back after a thin bench behind Kieran Tierney and uncertainty over Marcelo Saracchi’s loan future. The Scottish champions, fresh from clinching the Premiership, have identified depth as a squad‑depth issue following their title win.
Mitchel Bakker, a left‑footed midfielder accustomed to a high‑press system, matches Martin O’Neill’s tactical preferences. At 26, he is still in his developmental peak and brings experience from Ajax, PSG, Lille, Bayer Leverkusen and an Europa League winner’s medal with Atalanta in 2023‑24.
Atalanta, based in Bergamo, are looking to trim their squad as the transfer window approaches. Bakker signed a contract in July 2023 that runs until June 2027, linking him to the Italian club for four more seasons.
His peripheral status is evident from a solitary Serie A appearance in the 2025‑26 campaign, amounting to just nine minutes on the pitch. The club also loaned him to its Serie C second‑team during the same season, underscoring his limited first‑team role.
Capology data suggests Bakker earns around €54,000 per week at Atalanta, while Transfermarkt values him at €2.50 million. These figures indicate that Celtic could meet the fee without significant financial strain.
According to a report relayed via TransferFeed.com, Celtic are among several clubs monitoring the situation, with other Serie A sides and Turkish clubs also mentioned as interested parties.
Should Celtic decide to press for Bakker before the window shuts, the club would add much‑needed depth behind Tierney while offering the player a chance to rebuild confidence. Atalanta would reduce its wage bill and free a squad place, and supporters would watch closely for an immediate impact on Celtic’s European ambitions.