Celtic star Benjamin Nygren reveals summer transfer interest after break-out season
Swede says full focus is on matters at Parkhead
Celtic midfielder Benjamin Nygren has confirmed that there was transfer interest in him during the summer window.
Nygren scored 20 goals in all competitions for Celtic last season after signing from FC Nordsjaelland in July 2025 and ended the campaign by representing Sweden at the World Cup.
Celtic teammates Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels made big-money moves to Ipswich Town and West Ham United respectively and Nygren, who is under contract until 2030, says there were potential suitors for him until the transfer deadline passed last week.
“Yeah, there was interest,” said Nygen during a press conference on Friday on whether he was in demand after a break-out first season in Glasgow. Asked if it became more than interest, Nygren replied: “No, I play for a big club. When the right time is, I cannot answer that. That's up to me and the club and the potential club. So, whenever the right time is, it is.”
The 25-year-old continued: “Like I said, I play for a huge club like Celtic. I really enjoy being here. I wanted to stay here to play in the biggest competition. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the Champions League, but we still play in the Europa League.
“I want to make it better here and then go further in the Europa League than what we did last season. I wanted to stay here and continue to make it good. When the right time is, the right time is. But it's not something I think of. It's not my focus. My focus is just to do it as well as possible here and to win more trophies here. And then what happens in the future, we'll see.”
Nygren refuted any notion that the transfer window acted as a distraction over the summer. “Not really, I would say,” the Swede said. “I think you've learned as a player, you cannot really think of it too much or focus on it too much. So I just try to focus on training as well as possible, play as well as possible. And you cannot control what happens in the future. So my focus has only been to do as well as possible for Celtic.”
Nygren is set to line up for Celtic in Sunday’s first Old Firm derby of the season against Rangers at Ibrox in the Premier Sports Cup. The club’s bitter rivals are one of only two Premiership sides that Nygren has not scored against in his Celtic career.
"It would be very nice, but I'm a player who's not only scoring,” added Nygren on the prospect of breaking his duck. “I want to create a lot of chances and be a threat offensively. I didn't score, but I assisted in the games. If I can do that and the team wins, I'm happy.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.