Celtic have reportedly made an offer for their future Joe Hart replacement already as Brendan Rodgers looks to find a new no.1 for the 2024/25 season.
Joe Hart set to retire
After a long and glittering career, Hart announced that he would be retiring at the end of the Scottish Premiership season, and will likely end his career on a high with Celtic on the verge of clinching the SPL trophy once more.
"I wanted to get the message out as of June I am going to stop playing football", Hart explained in February. "This is something that I have thought about for a while, there's no right or wrong time is there?
"There is obviously a conversation around the goalkeeping position for next season and I think it's really important that with the blessing of the club we get the message out and it takes one thing out of what people are going to speculate over.
"I have gone down every avenue to keep myself in the best possible shape to give my all on game day and I do really think I am at that peak, but I am aware time waits for no man and I don't want my body to be retiring me. That was one of the key factors, thinking I can smash through the finish line."
Joe Hart's illustrious career (selected clubs)
Team
Appearances
Clean sheets
Manchester City
348
137
Torino
37
5
Burnley
24
6
Birmingham City
41
12
West Ham
23
6
Celtic
150
62
England
75
43
His retirement will certainly be big boots (and gloves) to fill at Celtic Park, but it seems as though Rodgers has a plan for his replacement in mind already.
Celtic make £6m+ offer for goalkeeper
That comes in the shape of Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, who has been a long-term target for Celtic.
Celtic in talks to sell "phenomenal" star who Brendan Rodgers loves
His exit would be hard-felt by the soon-to-be Scottish Champions.
ByBen BrowningMay 14, 2024
He has had no shortage of admirers in the past, with Leeds United also having been linked in 2020, a potential deal which prompted Leeds Youtuber Conor McGilligan to heap praise on him.
"It is one of those things where Leeds have just got to keep pursuing, we’ve got to keep going for these deals with someone like Ugurcan, highly rated, seen as one of the top ‘keepers in Turkey, one of the top ‘keepers in Europe, it’s definitely one to keep an eye on."
It had been thought that Celtic were readying a £7.5m bid for the Turkish shot-stopper, but now a report from Turkey, relayed by Sports View claims that they have made an offer of around £6.4m for his services.
Perhaps confusingly, this equates to around €7.5m euros, which could be where the initial fee came from, or it could be that Celtic are looking for a discount with Alex McCarthy also being monitored ahead of him becoming a free agent this summer.
For his part, Cakir is "looking for fresh challenges in his career", and could jump at the prospect of playing Champions League football with Celtic next season should the two sides be able to agree a fee.
Meanwhile, Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has already accepted Cakir's departure, explaining that "We made a promise to Uğurcan. If an offer comes from Europe, we will facilitate it."
Could the 28-year-old be the man to follow Hart in goal for Celtic?
