(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Sun 24 May 2026 14:00, UK

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Celtic could exploit hesitation from Preston North End in order to seal a deal for Tottenham starlet Alfie Devine this summer.

The English Championship side have a deal worth a potential £4.5million in place for the midfielder at the end of his current loan spell, but all hope is not lost for the Bhoys.

The 21-year-old has notched eight goals and six assists during an impressive league campaign in 2025-26, and that has seen key figures behind the scenes at Parkhead sit up and take notice.

Tottenham are open to cashing in on the starlet ahead of next term, but Preston have been at the front of the queue to sign him in recent months.

Celtic are strong admirers of Devine, and they may yet get the chance to sign him this summer, as takeover issues rumble on at Deepdale.

Celtic can make Alfie Devine swoop from 1 July after scouting mission

Football Insider revealed back in April that Celtic boss Martin O’Neill watched Devine in action for Preston in their 1-1 draw with QPR, and he has since been identified as a summer target.

It has since begun to look increasingly likely that Devine will be staying with the Lancashire outfit on a permanent basis, but there is still a chance that Celtic may be able to muscle their way in.

Alan Nixon revealed via his Patreon account on Sunday that Preston’s £4.5m agreement with Tottenham will expire at the end of June when his loan stint draws to a close, allowing other clubs to make offers for the youngster from 1 July onwards.

Preston are currently waiting on the finalisation of a takeover from Amr Zedan, and are exploring possible additions on free and loan transfers at the moment.

If that takeover doesn’t go through, then it appears that they may struggle to meet the requirements of the deal for Devine, handing Celtic the chance to make their move.

The Bhoys will hope to have their managerial situation sorted by July, meaning their focus could be entirely on finding the right additions to their squad by that stage of the summer.

Can Celtic afford both Alfie Devine and Silas Andersen?

Football Insider revealed on Saturday that Celtic’s chances of signing Silas Andersen have now been boosted after they secured Champions League football for next term.

The Danish midfielder has been a clear target for both Old Firm sides in recent windows, but it is expected that a deal could take up to £6-7m to complete.

Moves for both Andersen and Devine would make Celtic’s midfield overhaul an expensive one this summer, but it is one that they could surely afford after another league title.

Champions League football brings a drastic increase in revenue for Premiership sides, and the Bhoys are set to benefit from that massively this summer.