Celtic is on the verge of securing a £8.5m star who has agreed to personal terms, outshining Van den Berg’s signing.

Celtic are continuing to work on several deals as Martin O’Neill looks to strengthen his squad before the summer transfer window closes on Thursday.

One midfielder edging closer to completing a move to Parkhead is Joey van den Berg, who is currently in Glasgow as he prepares to have his transfer announced.

His arrival would give O’Neill another option in attacking midfield. Benjamin Nygren is currently Celtic’s only recognised number ten, while Luke McCowan, Mika Baur, Callum McGregor, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Reo Hatate are primarily number eight options.

That could see Van den Berg used mainly as cover for Nygren. The Dutchman could come off the bench when the Sweden international needs a rest, giving O’Neill another player capable of operating in the attacking midfield role.

Van den Berg’s numbers from the 2025/26 Eerste Divisie campaign indicate that he possesses attacking potential. Across 26 appearances, he scored seven goals from an expected goals figure of 5.27. He also averaged 1.5 key passes per game, created four big chances and registered three assists.

Those statistics suggest that Van den Berg could contribute creatively if he adapts to life in Scotland.

Celtic could make a stronger midfield addition

While Van den Berg is close to becoming a Celtic player, the club are also reportedly pursuing another midfielder who could arrive with fewer doubts about his ability to perform immediately.

According to reports from Turkey, Celtic have reached an agreement on personal terms with Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis as they attempt to complete a deal before Thursday’s deadline.

The Hoops are still negotiating with the Serie A club over a transfer fee for the Lithuania international. CeltsAreHere have claimed that Gineitis could be available for around £8.5 million.

If Celtic reach an agreement with Torino, settling personal terms would mean there are few major obstacles remaining, with a medical potentially the final significant step before completion.

Landing Gineitis, whether for £8.5m or a lower figure, could represent more valuable business for O’Neill than the possible arrival of Van den Berg.

The reason is the different roles they would fill. Van den Berg could arrive as an understudy to Nygren in the number ten position, leaving questions over his ability to make an immediate impact after playing in the Dutch second division.

Gineitis would address a different and arguably more important requirement.

Gineitis offers experience at a higher level

Celtic’s midfield has previously struggled when faced with the physical demands of European competition, particularly during Europa League matches last season.

Callum McGregor and Reo Hatate were among those who found it difficult to consistently win physical battles. Their Europa League numbers underline the problem, with McGregor recording 1.4 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.9 duels won per game. Hatate averaged 0.7 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 1.7 duels won.

McGregor won 48 per cent of his ground duels and 18 per cent of his aerial battles, while Hatate recorded a 41 per cent success rate in ground duels and failed to win an aerial duel.

Those figures highlight why adding a physically stronger midfielder could be important for Celtic as they prepare for another European campaign.

Gineitis appears better equipped to handle those demands because he has already gained senior experience in one of Europe’s major leagues.

Even more encouragingly, he has won 80 per cent of his duels across the opening two matches of the current campaign. That suggests he is comfortable competing physically against experienced senior opposition.

A midfielder who could make an immediate impact

Gineitis could therefore be viewed as a plug-and-play addition for O’Neill. Unlike Van den Berg, whose ability to adapt to Scottish football remains untested, Gineitis has already shown that he can compete at senior level in a major European division.

His physical strength would give Celtic an additional dimension in midfield. His ability to compete in ground and aerial duels could help the Hoops become harder to overpower, particularly against stronger European opponents.

However, Gineitis is not simply a defensive midfielder whose value is limited to winning possession. The left-footed star also offers quality when Celtic have the ball.

He provided an assist against AC Milan on the opening day of the current Serie A season, demonstrating that he can contribute in possession as well as defensively. Since the beginning of last season, he has also created five big chances in Serie A.

That combination makes him a more complete midfield option. Celtic would not simply be signing a player to add strength and defensive protection; they would also be bringing in someone capable of creating opportunities and helping the team progress the ball.

Why Gineitis could be the better deal

The contrast between the two targets is significant. Van den Berg could provide useful attacking cover for Nygren, but his move involves an element of risk because he has yet to prove himself outside the Dutch second tier.

Gineitis, meanwhile, has already established himself in Serie A and shown that he can compete physically while still offering something in possession.

For a Celtic side hoping to improve domestically while making an impression in the Europa League, that experience could be invaluable. O’Neill needs players capable of handling European intensity, and Gineitis appears to fit that requirement.

If Celtic can agree a fee with Torino and complete the transfer before Thursday’s deadline, the Lithuania international could become one of the most significant additions to the squad.

Van den Berg may still prove useful, especially if Celtic need depth behind Nygren. Yet Gineitis looks like the player who could make the bigger difference immediately.

His defensive strength, duel-winning ability, Serie A experience, creativity and versatility make him a well-rounded midfield option. Most importantly, he could address an area where Celtic have previously looked vulnerable against physically demanding opposition.

For those reasons, if the Hoops complete the reported deal, Gineitis could ultimately prove to be a better and more impactful signing for Martin O’Neill than Van den Berg.