Fake News: Report dismisses Celtic loan deal

Alfa Semudo appears not to be on his way to Celtic. 

Yesterday a report from Portugal claimed that the Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder was on his way to Scotland for a season long loan with an option to buy at £2.5m. 

Semudo was a team-mate of Jota in his Benfica days, scored a Champions League winner against AEK Athens in October 2018 but has since spent time on loan at Nottingham Forest and Reading. 

Ange Postecoglou appears to be in the market for a holding/defensive midfielder but in this case it appears that two plus two hasn’t equalled four. 

Football Scotland reported: 

Alfa Semedo is NOT on the verge of joining Celtic, Football Scotland has learned. 

The holding midfielder had reportedly agreed terms on a loan to buy transfer taking him from Vitoria Guimaraes to Parkhead according to local suggestions in Portugal. The Guinea-Bissau ace only joined the Portuguese side last season but the Hoops were still linked with a move that had supposedly already been agreed between the club and player. 

Football Scotland can now reveal that those links are wide of the mark and that the Hoops have not – and will not – make a move for the player this summer despite these reports. Celts are, indeed, still on the hunt for another midfield option but Semedo is not one they are considering at this time. Vinicius Souza, previously on loan at Mechelen, is one they are hoping to get over the line but a deal has not yet been concluded for the Lommel enforcer. 

Yesterday, Football Scotland reported: 

Celtic are reportedly closing in on a deal to sign Alfa Semedo. 

Football Scotland told this afternoon thatthe Hoops had agreed an initial loan deal with Victoria Guimaraes for the midfielder, according to Portuguese reports. 

It’s said that Celtic have inserted a mandatory buy clause to turn it into a permanent move. Ange Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his squad after securing the permanent signings of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Daizen Maeda already this summer. 

Celtic’s non-internationalists return for pre-season training on Monday with Postecoglou likely to do some media work. 

The Celtic boss knows the drill with the Scottish media pack, like last season he is unlikely to indulge in speculation with transfer targets only discussed once they have been delivered as a Celtic player.