Celtic have the opportunity to extend their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership to seven points this weekend, but Martin O’Neill is facing a battle to keep hold of one of his most important players.
The Hoops travel to Falkirk on Sunday looking to strengthen their position at the summit, with Old Firm rivals Rangers occupied by League Cup action.
Celtic currently hold a four-point advantage after the opening 11 league matches, although they were held to a disappointing 2-2 draw by Dundee United in midweek.
O’Neill has nevertheless been pleased with his side’s performances so far, insisting there is plenty to be positive about heading into the next round of fixtures.
“I think we’ve done fine,” the Irishman told Celtic’s official website.
“We’re leading the league at this minute. We have a four-point gap, which is nothing at all at this stage of the season. We retrieved that a couple of times last year with bigger leads than that, and we fought back from them.”
The Celtic boss added that he would be delighted if his side could replicate their results over the next 11 matches, although he acknowledged that would be difficult.
However, while the Hoops are enjoying another promising domestic campaign, they could soon face a significant challenge away from the pitch.
Celtic braced for Benjamin Nygren exit amid Premier League interest
According to Football Insider, Celtic are braced for Premier League interest in Benjamin Nygren, with the Scottish champions facing a battle to retain the Sweden international.
The midfielder has been one of the club’s standout performers since arriving from FC Nordsjaelland for just £1.7m in 2025, establishing himself as a vital part of O’Neill’s side.
Nygren has already registered eight goals and six assists in 18 appearances across all competitions this season, including six goals in 11 Premiership outings.
His performances have reportedly attracted attention from clubs south of the border, with Celtic now of the belief that significant offers would prove difficult to reject. The 25-year-old would also be keen on a Premier League switch, despite being under contract at Parkhead until 2030.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke suggested Celtic could struggle to resist the financial power of English clubs.
“He is a very key player for Martin O’Neill, Benjamin Nygren, after a really good debut season in which he finished as their top scorer.
“I’m sure those performances have alerted clubs in England and elsewhere to Nygren’s potential. Celtic are well aware that if a club from one of the bigger leagues comes in for him, it’s gonna be pretty hard to keep him at the club.
“He’s under long term contract up at Celtic as well, but we’ve seen in the past, players who do well for Celtic can be lured away due to the finances on offer at other clubs.”
Losing Nygren would undoubtedly represent a significant blow, particularly given his attacking contributions and importance to O’Neill’s plans.
There is some positive news for the Celtic manager, however, with Jota gradually returning to full fitness and Yang Hyun-jun expected back in training on Monday.
O’Neill has also been impressed by Haissem Hassan, who caught the eye after coming off the bench against Dundee United.
“I thought he did brilliantly for us going forward,” O’Neill said. “And he caused them plenty of problems. He got balls in and he beat players on the outside.”
Those returning options could provide a timely boost for Celtic as they look to maintain their domestic advantage, although keeping hold of Nygren may prove just as important to their ambitions this season.
