Key Points
- Rangers Force Move For New Striker Following Injury Blow: Following a severe anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered by striker Youssef Chermiti, Rangers have entered the transfer market for a new forward, whilst nearing a £6.5 million deal for PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech.
- Celtic Secure Double Transfer Breakthrough: Celtic have completed the medical for Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan in a deal worth up to £9 million, whilst German midfielder Mika Baur has arrived at Lennoxtown to sign a four-year contract from Paderborn.
- Aberdeen Manager Explains Midfielder Exit: Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson has confirmed that selling Icelandic midfielder Kjartan Mar Kjartansson to Norway “made sense” to secure a healthy six-figure profit, as goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov completes a move to German side St Pauli.
- Widespread Premiership Recruitment Intensifies: Teams across the Scottish Premiership are accelerating deal completion ahead of the summer transfer deadline to bolster squads for domestic and European obligations.
Glasgow (Glasgow Express) August 13, 2026 –As reported by Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News, Rangers have been forced to re-enter the transfer market for a senior striker after confirming that forward Youssef Chermiti has sustained a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during their recent fixture against Hibernian. As confirmed by official club communications, Chermiti will be sidelined for a significant period, forcing manager Derek McInnes and the Ibrox board to swiftly reallocate transfer resources.
As further reported by Chris Jack of GiveMeSport, Rangers executives have already opened preliminary discussions with multiple targets to replace Chermiti’s output, with talks taking place for several highly rated young forwards.
As stated by Roger Hannah of The Scottish Sun, Rangers are actively weighing up whether to recruit one or two new centre-forwards before the transfer window closes, particularly after turning down a £10 million proposal from an undisclosed club for winger Djeidi Gassama.
In addition to forward line reinforcements, Rangers are closing in on their tenth signing of the summer window. As reported by Sahil Jaidka of Sky Sports News, PSV Eindhoven winger Couhaib Driouech is completing final medical examinations and paperwork ahead of a £6.5 million transfer to Ibrox, with Rangers having fended off late competition from Celta Vigo and Burnley.
Furthermore, as reported by Scott Burns of the Daily Record, Rangers are continuing negotiations to strengthen their full-back options, holding ongoing discussions regarding AEK Athens left-back James Penrice and Club Brugge right-back Hugo Siquet.
What Impact Will Haissem Hassan And Mika Baur Have At Celtic?
As reported by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Real Oviedo winger Haissem Hassan has successfully completed his medical examinations in London ahead of finalizing a £9 million move to Celtic. As detailed by Anthony Joseph, Celtic and Real Oviedo agreed an initial fee of £6 million, with an additional £3 million structured in performance-related add-ons tied to Celtic reaching the Champions League league phase.
As further reported by STV Sport, Celtic have simultaneously finalized the signing of 22-year-old midfielder Mika Baur from German outfit Paderborn on an initial four-year contract.
As reported by The Celtic Way, Baur was spotted arriving at Celtic’s Lennoxtown training complex after Celtic agreed a transfer package in the region of £4.5 million to secure the playmaker’s signature.
As reported by Scott Burns of the Daily Record, Celtic are also exploring an ambitious loan arrangement with English Premier League side Chelsea for a top-tier academy prospect, alongside prospective deals for World Cup international midfield targets.
Celtic management remains intent on finalizing all documentation in time for new arrivals to feature in their upcoming Champions League play-off tie against LASK Linz.
Why Did Aberdeen Decide To Sell Kjartan Mar Kjartansson?
As reported by the Evening Express, Aberdeen manager Stephen Robinson has publicly explained the commercial and tactical reasoning behind the sale of Icelandic midfielder Kjartan Mar Kjartansson to Norwegian football. As stated by Stephen Robinson in his official press conference,
“The transfer made complete sense for the football club from a business perspective, generating a healthy six-figure profit that allows us to reinvest across other areas of the squad.”
As reported by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News, Aberdeen have also sanctioned the departure of goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov to German 2. Bundesliga side St Pauli.
As detailed by Anthony Joseph, the two clubs agreed a transfer fee of approximately £430,000 plus performance add-ons, with Mitov travelling to Germany to finalize personal terms.
As reported by FAWSL Full-Time, Aberdeen have also remained active in incoming transfer activity across their technical structures, confirming the loan signing of West Ham United defender Selin Cemal for Aberdeen Women, alongside squad restructuring overseen by newly appointed club director Rachel Corsie.
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What Is The Background To These Particular Transfer Developments?
The current surge in Scottish Premiership transfer activity comes during August, traditionally the most demanding phase of the summer transfer window. Scottish clubs face the dual challenge of navigating early-season league fixtures whilst adhering to strict UEFA squad registration deadlines for European group and league stage competitions.
For Rangers, the necessity to recruit a primary striker emerged unexpectedly following the loss of Youssef Chermiti, who arrived at Ibrox in a high-profile move worth up to £10 million last summer and scored 15 goals in his debut season.
The financial dynamics at Ibrox have been further complicated by interest in existing squad members, including rejected bids for Djeidi Gassama, forcing the recruitment department to balance squad depth with strict budgetary parameters.
For Celtic, significant domestic success has provided the financial backing required to execute substantial multi-million-pound transfers, such as the combined investments in Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur. Following key structural adjustments and squad rotations, Celtic’s board has prioritized providing manager Brendan Rodgers with verified international quality to ensure competitiveness in European competition.
For Aberdeen, the current window represents a period of strategic player trading under manager Stephen Robinson.
Operating within a self-sustaining financial model, the Pittodrie club relies on identifying undervalued talent, developing players, and realizing capital gains through sales—such as those of Kjartansson and Mitov—to fund ongoing squad modernization and infrastructure developments.
What Is The Long-Term Outlook For Scottish Premiership Clubs And Supporters?
These transfer developments will have immediate and direct consequences for Scottish Premiership supporters, club operational structures, and competitive standings across the 2026/27 campaign.
For Rangers supporters, the severe injury to Youssef Chermiti presents an immediate tactical hurdle. If the club fails to secure a proven goalscorer before the transfer deadline, Derek McInnes’ side risks relying entirely on secondary goal sources during a critical period of the season.
However, the arrival of Couhaib Driouech and prospective defensive depth in Hugo Siquet or James Penrice should provide increased attacking width and defensive resilience, mitigating long-term structural strain.
For Celtic supporters, the double arrival of Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur signals significant ambition to maintain domestic dominance and secure progression in European football.
The additional tactical flexibility in midfield and wide areas provides Celtic with adequate depth to withstand fixture congestion across domestic cup competitions, the Scottish Premiership, and European group fixtures.
For Aberdeen supporters, the departures of key figures like Dimitar Mitov and Kjartan Mar Kjartansson may create short-term uncertainty on the pitch, particularly in defensive co-ordination.
However, the financial profits realized from these sales ensure that Stephen Robinson retains the necessary budget to recruit targeted replacements before the window closes, preserving the club’s long-term competitive standing in the top half of the table.
