Celtic agree transfer for Bernabei as Siegrist signs

CELTIC have reached an agreement to sign Argentinian left-back Alexandro Bernabei for a fee of around £3.75m, Herald and Times Sport understands, after a day of hectic transfer activity for the Scottish Premiership champions.

Bernabei, 21, has reached a verbal agreement to join Celtic, and he will soon travel to Scotland to finalise the details of his transfer from Lanus, with Liam Scales heading out of the club to join Aberdeen on loan to make way for the Argentina under-19 international.

Celtic also completed the signing last night of former Dundee United goalkeeper Benjamin Seigrist on a four-year deal, with the 30-year-old coming in to provide competition and back-up to number one Joe Hart.

“It feels amazing,” Seigrist said. “It’s a very proud feeling to be here, and I’m really, really excited. I can’t wait to get going and meet the staff, the players, and, ultimately play for this football club.

“I had a phone call from the manager, he hung up the phone and I think people just knew straight away that something good was happening. It was a very proud moment in my career.

“To be here and be representing the football team, the colours, the city and everything, it’s a hugely proud moment, and everything I’ve always wanted to be – at a top environment, at a top team and it simply can’t get any better than this.”

Jota will also officially seal his permanent move to Celtic in the coming days after his own successful loan spell from Benfica last season, as manager Ange Postecoglou ramps up his preparations ahead of his squad returning to training next week.

Meanwhile, reports that right-back Josip Juranovic is likely to leave Celtic this summer have been played down in his homeland of Croatia, with sources close to the player claiming that he is happy in Glasgow.

While there are other teams interested in securing the services of Juranovic, it is understood that it would take a huge offer for Celtic to even consider letting the player they signed for £2.5m last summer from Legia Warsaw leave the club.