Celtic are reportedly interested in a move for Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, despite already having three first-team goalkeepers on the books. Chronicle Live report that, even with Kasper Schmeichel having hardly put a foot wrong in his first season at Celtic Park, the Hoops are eyeing a potential swoop for the Slovakian shot-stopper.
Schmeichel, who has been a solid presence since joining in the summer, is currently sidelined with injury but is expected to be in contention for the final few weeks of the season. In his absence, 23-year-old Viljami Sinisalo impressed in his Scottish Premiership debut against Hearts, where he made crucial saves early in the game at Celtic Park.
The goalkeeping situation at Celtic appears to be well-covered, with Schmeichel as the undisputed number one, supported by the experience of Scott Bain and the emerging talent of Sinisalo. Bain, who has been with the club for years, continues to be the reliable third choice, yet it hasn’t stopped reports from suggesting that Celtic may pursue Dubravka in the summer.
What makes this rumour even more curious is that, despite recently signing a new deal at Newcastle until 2026, Dubravka remains on Celtic’s radar. The Hoops have previously shown interest in the 36-year-old goalkeeper.
In fact, during the summer transfer window, Celtic held talks with Dubravka after Joe Hart’s retirement, looking to find a replacement for the experienced Englishman. Ultimately, Celtic decided to bring in Schmeichel, making the current speculation surrounding Dubravka’s potential move all the more puzzling, considering they already have a reliable, experienced keeper between the sticks.
With a solid group of goalkeepers already at Celtic, and Schmeichel in particular continuing to impress, it’s unclear where exactly Dubravka would fit into the current setup.
Whether Celtic are actually interested in a move for Dubravka remains to be seen, especially with Schmeichel having recently signed a one-year extension that will see him remain at the Hoops next season, following much speculation in the first half of the season. This makes the reported interest in Dubravka all the more confusing, given that Schmeichel’s future appears secure for at least another year.
Whether Dubravka’s name will come up in future discussions remains to be seen, but it’s clear that Celtic’s ambitions aren’t slowing down, even with a healthy goalkeeper depth chart. It will be interesting to see how this situation develops over the coming months, as Celtic aim to build on their domestic success and improve their European standing.
