---
title: "Celtic: Aurelio Buta move looking less likely"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-aurelio-buta-move-looking-less-likely/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Charlie Smith"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2021-08-03T08:10:48Z"
modified: "2021-08-03T08:10:48Z"
---

# Celtic: Aurelio Buta move looking less likely

**Celtic’s swoop for Royal Antwerp right-back Aurelio Buta is looking less likely, according to [The Daily Mail](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9850293/amp/Celtic-considering-former-Crystal-Palace-midfielder-James-McCarthy.html?__twitter_impression=true)’s Stephen McGowan.**

### The Lowdown: Buta reports

Celtic appeared to be closing in on Buta last week, with [reports](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/aurelio-buta-agrees-celtic-transfer-24624866) suggesting the Hoops agreed on a £3m deal. A [story](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/aurelio-buta-agrees-celtic-transfer-24624866) last Tuesday expected a move to go through in a matter of hours, but as we know, Buta hasn’t put pen to paper on a Celtic contract.

Turkish big guns Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have since shown an [interest](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/cameron-carter-vickers-celtic-transfer-24664831) in Buta, which could spark a bidding war for the 24-year-old.

[Celtic updates!](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/celtic-updates-11/)

### The Latest: McGowan’s claim

[McGowan](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9850293/amp/Celtic-considering-former-Crystal-Palace-midfielder-James-McCarthy.html?__twitter_impression=true) shared a Celtic-related story on Sunday evening, revealing the Hoops’ interest in free agent James McCarthy.

Within his [report](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9850293/amp/Celtic-considering-former-Crystal-Palace-midfielder-James-McCarthy.html?__twitter_impression=true), McGowan claimed that Celtic want a goalkeeper, right-back, central midfielder and a winger, before admitting that a deal for Buta ‘looks less likely’ – a damning three-word update from the journalist.

\[freshpress-poll id=”358173″\]

### The Verdict: Time to move on?

It appears as if now could be the time for Celtic to move on to alternative targets.

If a move to Scotland is going to materialise, you’d think it would have gone through by now, especially following the reports last week.

The likes of [George Baldock](https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-united/celtics-keen-pursuit-of-sheffield-uniteds-george-baldock-may-not-be-over-just-yet-after-ange-postecoglous-telling-transfer-comments-3331656) and [Josip Juranovic](https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/josip-juranovic-celtic-transfer-link-21157978) are two more right-backs with whom Celtic have been linked in recent weeks, so perhaps now is the time to swoop for one of those instead of Buta, which increasingly appears to be a dead-end pursuit.

***In other news:*** [***Celtic ace departs Parkhead, find out more here.***](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/scottish-premier/celtic/celtic-olivier-ntcham-departs-parkhead/)