Celtic Eye Robbie Keane and Rangers Target Skoglund: Glasgow 2026

Key Points

• Celtic have held constructive initial talks with Robbie Keane regarding their vacant managerial position, with more meetings scheduled.
• Principal shareholder Dermot Desmond plans to hold discussions with interim manager Martin O’Neill to assess his willingness to remain at the club in some capacity.
• Rangers have established direct contact with the representatives of Hammarby’s 20-year-old Swedish right-back Hampus Skoglund.
• West Ham United have logged an initial enquiry for Hibernian’s 23-year-old midfielder Josh Mulligan ahead of their campaign in the Championship.
• The Hammers are also tracking 20-year-old Celtic centre-forward Callum Osmand, though the Scottish champions are highly unlikely to sell.
• Toronto FC remain in talks with Rangers over the permanent future of 27-year-old midfielder Jose Cifuentes, whose loan deal expires at the end of June.

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) June 4, 2026 — As reported by the sports editorial team at Sky Sports, Celtic have completed an initial round of “constructive talks” with Robbie Keane. The 45-year-old former Republic of Ireland international has emerged as a primary candidate to take the permanent hotseat at Celtic Park.

According to the broadcaster, additional discussions are scheduled to take place later this week to finalise the potential parameters of an agreement.

Keane, who previously enjoyed a brief playing stint at Celtic in 2010 and recently managed Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petah Tikva, is being considered as the club looks to inject fresh energy into its coaching staff following a highly turbulent campaign.

What Role Is Planned for Interim Boss Martin O’Neill?

Concurrently, Celtic’s hierarchy are not planning to completely cut ties with interim manager Martin O’Neill. As detailed in the same report by Sky Sports, Celtic’s principal shareholder, Dermot Desmond, is preparing to hold personal discussions with the 74-year-old veteran tactician. The objective of these talks is to “establish his appetite for remaining at the club in some capacity” ahead of the fast-approaching pre-season.

O’Neill stepped out of retirement to steer Celtic through a chaotic conclusion to the season, eventually securing a domestic league and cup double following the successive departures of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy. According to a subsequent analysis by BBC Sport, O’Neill admitted to feeling visibly fatigued following their recent Scottish Cup final triumph at Hampden Park, stating that the club might ultimately require a younger man for the long-term project.

However, Desmond’s planned intervention indicates the board’s strong desire to retain O’Neill’s vast experience in a director of football or advisory role.

Are Rangers Closing In on Hammarby Defender Hampus Skoglund?

Across the city, architectural changes are also underway at Ibrox. An exclusive report published by Rangers News states that Rangers have officially opened direct contact with the representatives of Hammarby right-back Hampus Skoglund.

The 20-year-old Swedish defender has enjoyed a breakout season in the Allsvenskan, drawing substantial interest from several European outfits. According to the publication, Skoglund currently has three years remaining on his contract with the Stockholm-based club, meaning Rangers would need to negotiate a formal transfer fee.

As reported by The Glasgow Times, the pursuit of Skoglund represents a “significant escalation” by the Ibrox recruitment team as they actively source a long-term replacement for long-serving captain James Tavernier.

The media title noted that Skoglund recently addressed the mounting speculation regarding his future, characterising the interest from abroad as “fun” but confirming he has completely delegated all negotiation responsibilities to his agency.

Why Is West Ham United Scouting the Scottish Target Market?

Following their recent relegation from the English Premier League, West Ham United are aggressively remodeling their squad for life in the second tier. Writing on the social media platform X, prominent football journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that West Ham United have made an initial enquiry to Hibernian regarding their 23-year-old midfielder Josh Mulligan.

“West Ham United have made an initial enquiry about Hibernian midfielder Josh Mulligan, 23, as they prepare for next season in the Championship.” — Ben Jacobs via X

Mulligan, who can operate comfortably across the central midfield or as a right-sided wingback, is seen by the Hammers’ recruitment staff as an affordable, physically robust asset tailored for the grueling 46-game Championship calendar.

Will Celtic Sanction a Move for Callum Osmand?

In tandem with their pursuit of Mulligan, the East London club is looking further north into Glasgow. According to an update published by the scouting outlet TransferFeed, West Ham United are also closely monitoring Celtic centre-forward Callum Osmand.

The 20-year-old striker has caught the eye of several English scouts while performing in the developmental ranks. However, TransferFeed explicitly clarifies that the newly crowned Scottish champions are “unlikely to part” with the highly-rated prospect, as he figures heavily into their long-term structural plans.

What Is the Status of Jose Cifuentes’ Permanent Move to Toronto?

In outward transfer news, Rangers are continuing administrative discussions with Major League Soccer (MLS) side Toronto FC regarding Ecuadorian international midfielder Jose Cifuentes. As reported by the Daily Record (subscription required), the two clubs are locked in negotiations to resolve the permanent future of the 27-year-old.

Cifuentes is currently on loan with the Canadian franchise under an agreement that strictly runs until the end of June 2026. Because Cifuentes has found regular first-team minutes hard to come by at Ibrox under previous regimes, Toronto are trying to finalize terms to trigger their permanent purchase option or extend the arrangement before his current registration expires at the end of the month.

Background of the Particular Development

The managerial and player movement across Scotland’s top flight arrives on the heels of an incredibly unpredictable Scottish Premiership season. Celtic’s sudden move for Robbie Keane represents a major shift in the club’s standard appointment template.

Typically reliant on established British or European managers with extensive track records, the board’s interest in Keane follows his recent tactical success abroad, balanced against the abrupt exit of Wilfried Nancy earlier in the year.

Furthermore, the dual-track strategy of hiring a young manager while retaining 74-year-old Martin O’Neill in an upper-management capacity is a direct response to the structural instability that plagued the club last winter.

For Rangers, the aggressive pursuit of Hampus Skoglund is heavily driven by a pressing economic and tactical realities. The Ibrox club is facing a major squad transition phase, with aging high-earners like James Tavernier entering the final stages of their contracts.

By targeting the Swedish market, Rangers are attempting to replicate their previous financial successes of buying high-potential Scandinavian talent early and developing them for future resale.

Meanwhile, West Ham’s presence in Edinburgh and Glasgow underlines the shifting economic dynamics of English clubs dropping into the Championship, who must look to the Scottish market for value-driven acquisitions to satisfy tight English Football League (EFL) financial regulations.

Prediction

The impending managerial appointment at Celtic Park and the defensive restructuring at Ibrox will directly shape the balance of power in Scottish football, heavily impacting both sets of passionate fanbases and club shareholders.

If Celtic successfully land Robbie Keane while retaining Martin O’Neill as a senior advisor, it is highly anticipated that the club will maintain its current domestic dominance. The combination provides an immediate layer of security for the first-team squad, reassuring supporters who feared a drop in standards following last season’s coaching carousel.

However, if talks break down and O’Neill chooses to step away entirely, Celtic risk entering the upcoming European qualifying stages with an unsettled backroom, which could open a vital competitive window for their rivals.

For Rangers supporters, the potential signing of Hampus Skoglund signals a definitive tactical evolution away from the James Tavernier era.

While Skoglund’s arrival would provide much-needed defensive solidity and raw pace down the right flank, fans should expect an initial transitional drop in direct goal output from the full-back position. Tavernier’s historic penalty-taking and crossing metrics are unlikely to be immediately replicated by a 20-year-old Allsvenskan import.

In the longer term, securing Skoglund would significantly lower the average age of the Rangers backline, protecting the club’s balance sheet and providing the incoming manager with an elite, highly saleable asset that aligns perfectly with modern scouting models.