Celtic exploring deal for £12million international once described by ex-Rangers boss as 'one of the best'

Martin O’Neill is in the market for a goalkeeper this summer, with Kasper Schmeichel’s retirement leaving the Celtic boss short on options in the net. Viljami Sinisalo has started the season as the club’s first-choice stopper; however, the veteran boss is keen to add competition for the Finland international, with only Ross Doohan in reserve.

Reports earlier this week had claimed the club were in advanced discussions with EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers over a £4million deal for Balazs Toth. A new report from journalist Alfie House at the Daily Echo claims the club are also mulling over a deal for Southampton goalkeeper Bazunu too, who has dropped down the pecking order at St Mary’s in recent years.

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Signed for a fee of £12million from Manchester City by Ralph Hasenhuttl four years ago, the 24-year-old was hailed as a goalkeeper with “a very modern style of play, comfortable in the build-up phase, who has developed physically through some very important loan moves early in his career.” However, the club would suffer relegation in Bazunu’s debut season, with Hasenhuttl sacked just five months after the goalkeeper’s arrival on the south coast.

With the club aiming for an immediate promotion the following campaign, they appointed ex-Rangers boss Russell Martin, who immediately installed Bazunu as his number one, saying he was “one of the best goalkeepers in the division for how we want to play”, before claiming that he wouldn’t be looking to replace him in the aftermath of the club’s relegation. “If I was going to look at a goalkeeper, I'd want to go and sign Gavin Bazunu”, claimed Martin.

However, at the tail end of Southampton’s 2023/24 promotion season, a ruptured Achilles ruled him out of the Saints’ successful playoff campaign. Sidelined for a total of 10 months, he missed almost the entirety of the 2024/25 English Premier League campaign, with the club relegated on just 12 points. Bazunu spent time on loan to both Standard Liege and Stoke City in the last two seasons, although neither club opted to make the deal permanent.

Left out of the Southampton side for their EFL Championship opening-day 2-1 defeat to Watford, Bazunu is out of contract at the end of the season. However, his four-year stay at St Mary's looks likely to come to an early end this summer, with Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb also considering a move for the Republic of Ireland international.

Zagreb and Scottish giants Celtic are said to be the two clubs currently exploring moves for the former Manchester City academy product this summer, with the permanent arrival of Hamburg’s Daniel Peretz pushing him down the list of options for Tonda Eckert’s side. Returning for pre-season alongside fellow goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who had spent time on loan to Newcastle United last term, the Irishman did not feature at all during Southampton’s summer campaign, with Peretz and back-up George Long the preferred in goal.

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