Celtic’s pursuit of Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi has taken a fresh twist, with journalist Alan Nixon insisting the Hoops are “serious players” in the race for his signature.

Reports ahead of deadline day suggested Celtic had made a late loan offer for the 22-year-old, but with Rangers, Leicester City and Lyon also circling, there was some scepticism around whether Celtic’s name was simply being dragged into the mix to drive up interest.

Nixon’s update, however, confirms Brendan Rodgers’ side are genuinely pushing to land the winger.

Rak-Sakyi is a left-footed wide player who naturally operates on the right, an area Rodgers has been keen to strengthen following Nicholas Kühn’s departure.

The London-born winger came through Chelsea’s academy before moving to Palace, and he made his mark during a loan spell at Charlton Athletic in 2022–23, producing 15 goals and nine assists in 49 outings.

He has since gained Premier League experience with Sheffield United, although injuries curtailed his progress last season. Still only 22, Rak-Sakyi has also represented England at under-20 and under-21 level, while remaining eligible for Ghana.

Celtic face stiff competition, with Rangers reportedly submitting a rival offer and Leicester pushing to add him to their promotion squad.

Lyon’s interest underlines his growing profile on the continent. But with Nixon confirming Celtic’s intent, there is now substance behind the story and not just another case of the club’s name being thrown into transfer chatter.

With just hours left in the window, Celtic’s move for Rak-Sakyi could prove one of the most intriguing late stories of the summer, as Rodgers looks to inject fresh attacking spark into his forward line.