Celtic pursuing striker Elias Filet

Scottish champions Celtic are reported to be in talks to sign FC Aarau striker Elias Filet in a bid to bolster their attack ahead of the new campaign.

The Hoops retained the Scottish Premiership title for the fifth year in a row as they pipped long-time leaders Hearts on the final day of a pulsating season north of the border.

Martin O'Neill's side went close to eight months without topping the table before displacing the Jambos when Daizen Maeda scored in the 88th minute at Parkhead as the title rivals went toe-to-toe on the final day of the season.

O'Neill is expected to sign a one-year deal to remain as Celtic boss after leading the Hoops to a league and Scottish Cup double.

The 74-year-old twice answered Celtic's call after Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy left the club last season.

Hoops accelerate interest in Filet

French-born forward Filet is 24 years old and plays his football with FC Aarau in the Swiss Challenge League. They finished second last season but were denied promotion in a two-legged play-off against Grasshoppers.

Filet was on the scoresheet in the second leg in Zurich but his side were undone in extra-time by a penalty, by which time both sides were down to 10 players.

Filet ended the term with 20 goals and assisted a further five in his first full season at Stadion Brugglifeld.

Celtic's interest adds to a list of clubs monitoring his situation, with Belgian club KRC Genk and French Ligue 1 club FC Lorient also in the hunt.

According to a report in The Scotsman, Celtic held a video conference call with his agent on Tuesday as they attempt to reach an agreement with Filet before holding talks with Aarau.

Parkhead reinforcements are required

Despite their dramatic title win, Celtic are entering a summer where a rebuild is needed in Glasgow's East End.

Daizen Maeda ended the season in devastating fashion, scoring nine times in his last seven games, including the title winner against Hearts and a stunning bicycle kick in a 3-1 win over Rangers that pushed the Light Blues out of the title race.

Maeda is at the World Cup with Japan, and after coming close to joining Wolfsburg last August, the 28-year-old is expected to leave Glasgow this summer.

Midfielder Benjamin Nygren was Celtic's top goalscorer in the league last season with 16, two more than Maeda, while no other Hoops player got into double figures.

Having scored 95 goals in 2023/24 and 112 in 2024/25 in the two previous seasons under Rodgers, Celtic's output dipped alarmingly to just 73 goals during a very testing 2025/26 campaign, emphasising their need for reinforcements.

More departures almost certain in Glasgow

Maeda's future is uncertain but most observers expect his four-and-a-half-year stint in Scotland will end after the World Cup.

Compatriot Reo Hatate has informed Celtic that he wants to leave this summer, according to reports, after the 28-year-old fell out of favour under O'Neill.

Kasper Schmeichel has retired and the Hoops confirmed Stephen Welsh's departure this week.

Loan deals for full-backs Julian Araujo and Marcelo Saracchi expire this month, as does the short-term deal offered to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in January.

Celtic hold the option to extend Kelechi Iheanacho's contract by 12 months but while the Nigerian impressed in cameos during the title run-in, the 29-year-old completed 90 minutes only twice after signing in September.

Filet, who has just one year left to run on his current deal in Switzerland, is seen as a key target for Celtic, with another two loanees from last season - Junior Adamu and Tomas Cvancara - already having left the club.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.