Aston Villa transfer complete & medical imminent after Newcastle United & Celtic talks

The Scottish champions have signed Finnish international Viljami Sinisalo from Aston Villa on a five-year deal. The club are also closing in on a deal for Denmark international Kasper Schmeichel who is a free agent after leaving Anderlecht.

Schmeichel is understood to be undergoing a medical this week ahead of joining the club.

Celtic have been searching for a replacement for Joe Hart following his retirement and have been linked with a number of goalkeepers so far this summer. Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka was targeted by Celtic as a potential goalkeeping option.

The Slovakian has been away at Euro 2024 and is facing an uncertain future on Tyneside following the arrivals of Odysseas Vlachodimos and John Ruddy. But the arrival of Sinisalo and the imminent signing of Schmeichel all but end Celtic’s interest in the Newcastle goalkeeper.

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There is still interest in Dubravka from elsewhere, including the Saudi Pro League, but no concrete offers have been made to Newcastle so far this summer.

When asked about his future before Euro 2024, Dubravka said: "I am aware that there are rumours, teammates ask me about it, agents and people call me, if there is any truth to it.

"There was some truth in that a year ago and you see, I stayed at Newcastle, so I still take it as if there is no official offer on the table, then I absolutely do not deal.

“I told my agents that if it was concrete and there was an offer, then only then would I consider it. At the moment, it is only in the stage of some noises.”