Celtic are looking to add another option to Martin O’Neill‘s attack before the end of the summer transfer window, with the addition of Shim Mheuka on loan.
The Hoops have agreed a deal with Premier League giants Chelsea to sign the 18-year-old attacker on loan until the end of the 2026/27 campaign, without an option to make the move permanent.
He travelled to Glasgow to undergo his medical and other formalities on Tuesday and is now expected to be confirmed as the latest addition to the squad in due course.
Where Shim Mheuka will fit in at Celtic
The teenage centre-forward looks to be an exciting signing for the Hoops after he racked up 25 goals and three assists in 34 appearances in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign.
Mheuka has already made nine first-team appearances for Chelsea’s first-team after impressing at youth level, although he has yet to score or provide an assist for the Premier League giants.
The England U19 international has scored 25 goals in 49 games for Chelsea’s U21s, 16 goals in 27 matches for their U18s, and five goals in six appearances for their U19s, and is now set for his first taste of regular senior football.
|
25/26 Premier League 2 |
Shim Mheuka |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
19 |
|
Minutes per game |
88 |
|
Goals |
18 |
|
Minutes per goal |
93 |
|
Goals per game |
0.9 |
|
Assists |
2 |
After Callum Osmand was spotted on crutches and in a protective boot after sustaining an injury against Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership, Mheuka could come in to compete with Kasper Hogh for the number nine shirt.
If Camilo Duran starts on the right flank more often than not, the Chelsea loanee could be a genuine starting option in the centre-forward role as an alternative to the Danish ace, and his record at youth level suggests that he could be an effective player for the Scottish giants.
How Celtic can quickly land a dream signing for Mheuka
The big question mark over the youngster is how he will adapt to moving to a new country and a new first-team environment for the first time, but the club are already looking at a player who could help him to settle in.
According to CeltsAreHere, Celtic have agreed a deal with Chelsea to sign left-back Landon Emenalo on loan before the end of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Hoops are expected to officially confirm the signing as soon as possible this evening, with the defender joining on a loan without an option to buy.
It adds that they have been keeping tabs on him throughout the window and have been waiting for him to overcome a small fitness concern before getting the deal over the line, making him their deputy to Kieran Tierney.
Whilst signing a back-up left-back on loan is not the most exciting piece of business on paper for Celtic, bringing Emenalo to the club could play a key role in unlocking Mheuka’s exciting potential.
The 18-year-old defender is set to be an understudy to Tierney and may not play very regularly, as a starter at least, but he would be a familiar face to his former Chelsea colleague.
|
Stat |
Mheuka + Emenalo on the pitch at the same time |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
42 |
|
Age groups |
3 |
|
Points per game |
1.79 |
|
Minutes |
3,126 |
|
Joint goal participation |
0 |
|
U18 titles |
1 |
They played 42 matches together at U18, U19, and U21 level at Chelsea before their respective moves to Celtic became an option, and played over 3,000 minutes on the pitch at the same time.
This suggests that they should know each other incredibly well, both personally and as players, and that could be huge for both of them because it means that they are not coming into a high-pressure dressing room on their own.
Celtic expect to win trophies and set incredibly high standards, both inside and outside the club, which could be a daunting experience for an 18-year-old on their first loan.
Having a familiar face and a teammate who is in the same position means that they can lean on each other and overcome that obstacle with ease, which is good news for O’Neill and Celtic.
On top of being a dream signing for Mheuka because of the personal reasons, Emenalo could also be a perfect addition alongside the striker because of the creativity that he could offer from left-back.
The young defender assisted five goals in all competitions for Chelsea at youth level in the 2025/26 campaign and may be able to provide crosses for the forward to score from.
