Celtic have a lot of work to do this summer. While the coaching team is now in place, the squad needs a ton of reinforcements as well. The Hoops were nowhere near good enough last season. The double should not mask the need for improvement.

Of course, a lot has been made of Celtic's lack of quality going forward. They managed 39 fewer goals in the league last season, when compared to the previous campaign.

That being said, that does not hide the frailties on the other end of the pitch. Celtic conceded 41 times, 15 more than the previous campaign.

So, Celtic need defensive reinforcements as well as ones going forward. And it looks like a 22-year-old defender remains on their radar.

There has been some controversy regarding Celtic's supposed interest in Zinedin Smajlovic.

Some reports have suggested that a £3.5 million offer has already been made, and turned down. Other outlets have claimed that the Hoops never lodged a bid.

Now, according to Football Insider, Celtic are “expected” to submit a new offer for Smajlovic. Discussions are “ongoing” between the two clubs and the Scottish champions are said to be keen to get a deal done.

Signing Smajlovic might not be an easy task though. Several other clubs are believed to be keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old centre-back. That includes notable teams like Olympiacos, Hull City, Lyon and Toulouse.

Smajlovic is exactly the type of player Celtic have targeted over the years. So, it looks like there is not much change in the transfer policy, despite the clear issues with it.

In fact, Celtic continue to eye players from the same leagues they always have. Sandefjord play their football in the Eliteserien, which is the top flight in Norwegian football.

Not too long ago, the club signed Odin Thiago Holm, one of the Eliteserien's brightest talents at that point, playing for Valerenga. The midfielder was regarded as the 'next Martin Odegaard' by some.

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Well, it would be safe to say that his time at Celtic was not the grand success that it was expected to be. To be fair, he remains on the books at Parkhead but has barely featured and currently finds himself back on loan at Valerenga.

So, if Celtic do end up signing Smajlovic, they would hope that he proves to be a much better signing.

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