Key Points:
- FC Lorient winger Joel Mvuka is closing in on a permanent transfer back to Norwegian club Bodø/Glimt.
- The 23-year-old endured a disappointing stint on loan at Celtic, managing just 87 minutes of action across two appearances.
- Norwegian journalist Eirik Nesset Hjelvik captured footage of Mvuka at Gardermoen airport travelling to the Netherlands to complete the move.
- Mvuka initially agreed a £3m permanent transfer to Glasgow in January 2026, but medical test issues reduced the arrangement to a temporary loan.
- Under manager Martin O’Neill, the attacking midfielder was omitted from 18 matchday squads during his spell in Scotland.
Celtic FC (Glasgow Express) August 17, 2026 –Norwegian winger Joel Mvuka is on the threshold of securing a permanent escape route to former club Bodø/Glimt following a difficult period at parent club FC Lorient and a fruitless loan spell in Scottish football.
Despite an uninspired year where game time proved extremely scarce, the 23-year-old wide player is finalising details to return to the Eliteserien side. As reported by Norwegian journalist Eirik Nesset Hjelvik of TV 2, Mvuka was spotted at Oslo’s Gardermoen Airport on his way to the Netherlands, where Bodø/Glimt are conducting a training camp, to complete formalities and sign a long-term contract.
Writing on social media platforms, Hjelvik stated:
“Here is Joel Mvuka at Gardermoen on his way to the Netherlands to complete a transfer to Bodø/Glimt. The clubs have agreed on a deal and a long-term contract awaits.”
When approached directly by reporters at the airport terminal, Mvuka remained discreet about the specifics of the transaction, telling TV 2: “Sorry, I can’t say too much.”
How did Joel Mvuka’s stint at Celtic unfold?
What began as a promising step into British football quickly dissolved into a challenging spell in Glasgow. Mvuka sealed a deadline-day move to Celtic back in January 2026, with the initial plan structured around a permanent £3 million transfer from parent club FC Lorient.
However, routine medical tests flagged underlying physical concerns, forcing Celtic executives to renegotiate the agreement late in the window. The clubs compromised on a short-term loan deal through to the end of the campaign, which included an unfulfilled purchase option.
Upon his arrival, manager Martin O’Neill publicly praised Mvuka’s profile, describing him as a
“talented player who has a very good level of experience”
capable of delivering speed across either flank. Mvuka himself spoke warmly of Celtic Park, fondly recalling the atmosphere from when he faced Celtic as a Bodø/Glimt player in 2022.
Despite the initial optimism, Mvuka struggled to establish any meaningful role within O’Neill’s squad. He featured in just two senior matches, registering a total of 87 minutes on the pitch, and was left out of 18 matchday squads entirely throughout his tenure in Scotland.
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Background of the particular development
Joel Mvuka’s career trajectory has featured rapid movements across European leagues. Developed at Norwegian outfit Åsane, Mvuka broke through at Bodø/Glimt between 2021 and 2023, where his direct running and technical capability on the right wing prompted French side FC Lorient to invest approximately £4 million (€5.5 million) for his signature.
His tenure in France proved unsettled. Mvuka experienced subsequent loan stints back at Bodø/Glimt and later with Swiss club Young Boys in 2024, collecting domestic title honors at both stops.
Returned to Lorient for the 2025–26 campaign, he was utilized mostly as a squad rotational player, starting five matches and making ten substitute appearances without finding the net in Ligue 1.
His unsuccessful loan spell at Celtic added another chapter to a difficult two-year period, establishing the background for his decision to rejoin Bodø/Glimt on a permanent basis to revive his development.
Prediction: How this transfer affects the player and both clubs
This development carries distinct ramifications for the three clubs involved as well as the player’s personal trajectory:
- For Joel Mvuka: Returning to Bodø/Glimt offers familiar tactical surroundings, an environment where he previously produced his most consistent attacking output. A permanent long-term deal restores administrative stability after temporary spells in France, Switzerland, and Scotland, providing the structure required to rebuild his confidence and match sharpness.
- For Bodø/Glimt: Re-signing a known asset adds proven domestic depth and European experience to their attacking options without the integration risks associated with unfamiliar foreign recruits.
- For FC Lorient and Celtic: Lorient successfully clears a peripheral salary off their payroll and recoups value on a player outside their immediate plans. For Celtic, the resolution brings full closure to an unsuccessful January recruitment drive, reinforcing the caution exercised by their medical and recruitment teams during the original deadline-day negotiations.
