With Joe Hart’s contract at Celtic set to expire in the summer, the club appear to be putting in the groundwork to replace the current number one. Some stoppers have been linked already, but it doesn’t seem as though one will be signed this month.
Despite this, per a report from Agepres in Romania, Celtic made an offer for Rapid Bucuresti’s keeper Horatiu Moldovan. They were among several clubs to have done so such as FC Basel, Ludogorets, Real Betis, and Sevilla.
The 26-year-old has many transfer offers on the table but he elected to join Atletico Madrid, the Spanish giants activating his 800,000 euro release clause.
The move will be life-changing for Moldovan, who has nine Romania caps to his name. He may not regularly play for Atleti ahead of Jan Oblak, but it is hard to turn down a move to the Spanish capital club.
As well as defeating Celtic in the Champions League, it looks like Diego Simeone has beaten the Hoops to the signature of Moldovan.
In terms of profile and age, he could have been the ideal Hart replacement, but this news is encouraging and goes to show that the club are being proactive in their hunt for a new ‘keeper. The Celts cannot be criticised for losing out to Atletico Madrid for a transfer.
