Celtic are still in continued dialogue with Wolverhampton Wanderers over forward Daniel Podence and could manage to snare him for lower than his £12m price tag thanks to a key factor, journalist Rudy Galetti has told GIVEMESPORT.

Following Jota’s move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad, the Scottish Premiership outfit have failed to replace him with a star name but are looking to Podence to fill that void.

Celtic transfer news – Daniel Podence

Per Transfermarkt, Brendan Rodgers’ side have spent in the region of £15m this summer in order to replace the brilliance of their Jota, who plundered 54 goal contributions during his 83-game Celtic career. The likes of Hyun-jun Yang and Marco Tilio have been brought in; though, as mentioned, neither name will lift bums off Parkhead seats the same way that Podence could.

Reports have suggested that Celtic are on high alert as the Old Gold have placed Podence on the market ahead of the fast-approaching transfer deadline. Meanwhile, MailOnline’s Tom Collomosse has claimed that Celtic are among the clubs that are keeping tabs on the 27-year-old Portuguese gem. Just recently, transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that under Rodgers’ tutelage, the wide man could ‘absolutely thrive’ should he opt for a move to the Scottish heavyweights.

Wolves may have little say in the matter as Podence, who currently pockets £60,000-per-week, has less than 12 months left to run on his deal, meaning his employers may have to cut ties with him this summer to avoid the risk of losing him on a free next summer. The one-cap Portugal international has failed to feature in either of Wolves’ opening 2023/24 fixtures which, in turn, has intensified clamour over a move elsewhere. Celtic CEO, Michael Nicholson, will have a huge role to play in potentially landing a deal for the Wolves outcast as journalist Rudy Galetti has now told GIVEMESPORT that the Scottish club may need to negotiate with his employers considering he has so little time left on his current deal.

What has Rudy Galetti said about Celtic and Daniel Podence?

Galetti suggested that talks between the two clubs are continuing, while a price tag around the £12m mark has been slapped on his head. However, the journalist has also claimed the Glasgow-based outfit could use his contract situation as a lever to lower the fee and, therefore, seal a deal before September 1.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: “Talks between Celtic and Wolves over Daniel Podence are still ongoing. There is distance on the price tag set at around £12m, but the Scottish club will continue to work to lower the cost, while also leveraging on the last year of his contract.”

All The Latest Transfer News: Every Done Deal, Rumour And All The Gossip

What next for Celtic?

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano recently told GIVEMESPORT that Celtic will continue to be 'active' until the window shuts by using it as a means of strengthening their squad. Per The Northern Echo, Celtic are eyeing a deal for Newcastle United winger Ryan Fraser, especially considering he has fallen way down the pecking order on Tyneside. The report suggests the £63,000-per-week earner has been identified as a top target by Rodgers and his entourage.

Meanwhile, Jones has told GIVEMESPORT that Celtic chief Rodgers may quietly fear losing highly rated duo Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi this summer amid potential interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer insider insisted that both players would fit in Ange Postecoglou’s system with relative ease, though nothing has come to fruition as yet, which will come as great news to the Parkhead faithful.

Should Rodgers be looking to win three domestic titles on the trot, retaining the Japanese duo beyond this summer’s transfer deadline will be paramount to that.