Celtic target left out of squad with Hoops move close and he will replace £150m man

After being left out of training on Monday, the Celtic target was out of the matchday squad 24 hours later.

In what is perhaps the biggest hint yet that a graduate from the fabled La Masia academy will be on his way to the green side of Glasgow, there was no place for Alex Valle on Barcelona’s squad list for Tuesday night’s trip to Rayo Vallecano.

Valle, the Spain Under 20 international, was on the bench for those successive 2-1 triumphs over Valencia and Athletic Bilbao to start the new La Liga season.

But not tonight.

A whole host of La Masia graduates are part of Hansi Flick’s travelling party – teen sensations Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi among them – but a certain talented young left-back is conspicouous by his absence.

And that, presumably, is because the Catalan-born Valle is set to become a Celtic player. Albeit only on a short-term,

temporary basis.

Celtic close in on Barcelona starlet Alex Valle

Mundo Deportivo reported earlier this week that Valle is due to undergo a medical with the Scottish Premiership champions before the transfer window closes later in the week.

Valle will join Celtic on what many on the continent call a ‘dry loan’.

Meaning, there will be no option or obligation-to-buy clause in his contract, the highly-rated 20-year-old due to return to the Camp Nou in July 2025

Valle will provide some much-needed competition for an often overworked Greg Taylor on the left-hand side of Brendan Rodgers’ backline.

The eternally-underrated Taylor has been lacking any sort of support since £4 million man Alexandro Bernabei moved to Brazilian outfit Internacional in the spring, and Valle’s arrival will finally give Rodgers the option of shuffling his back while giving the former Kilmarnock stalwart the odd rest.

With £25 million burning a hole in the back pocket following Matt O’Riley’s move to Brighton and Hove Albion, Valle is unlikely to be the only new face arriving at Parkhead in the final few days of August.

HITC understands that Celtic have held talks with Los Angeles FC over the £8 million-rated Mateusz Bogusz. The talented Pole boasts an impressive goalscoring record from midfield – 17 this season – and likes to drift in onto his left foot in a manner reminiscent of Hoops Player of the Year O’Riley.

HITC have been told that a loan deal for former fans’ favourite Jota is also on the cards. The twinkle-toed playmaker has struggled to make his mark in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad.

Celtic are being linked with Augsburg starlet Arne Engels and Hammarby’s Bazoumana Toure too, though the latter is keen to stay in Sweden until the turn of the year.

Brendan Rodgers wants signings after Matt O’Riley exit

“I just hope we can at least get some of (the O’Riley fee),” Rodgers told Football Scotland after Celtic’s 3-0 trouncing of St Mirren on Sunday, while expressing his frustrations at the lack of movement in the incomings department.

Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo are the only outfield signings this summer, and both played for Celtic last season on loan anyway.

“There are a number of things I won’t go into here,” Rodgers adds, keen to lay out his concerns while not getting too carried away. “But (recruitment) is definitely something – having come back in and gone through three windows now – we have to put right as a football club.

“We shouldn’t have been getting into this last week in the position we’re in. That’s the reality.

“However, that’s something for us after this window. As I said, we’ll get the players in that we want. We don’t need to manufacture our own stress when there’s no need. We don’t need to do that. So we’ll be calm this week.

“We’ll look to get the players in that can strengthen us.”

Given O’Riley’s departure, a more advanced, attack-minded midfielder has emerged as Celtic’s top priority. Hence the interest in Engels, and the 17-goal Bogusz.

Tessmann, in contrast, is more of a deep-lying playmaker in the Callum McGregor mould.

Lyon boss Pierre Sage draws comparisons with Nemanja Matic, the former Les Gones veteran who established himself as one of the finest number sixes of his generation with Chelsea and Manchester United.

“First impressions are quite positive,” Sage tells the official Lyon website of America international Tessmann while rattling off a list of attributes which would have appealed to Brendan Rodgers too.

“He has the courage to play. He often asks for the ball, even under pressure. He will provide us with solutions over time and in the sequence of our matches.

“He is similar to Matic. He brings a lot of links between the lines. We feel that he has a real ability to play with others. He is also capable of scoring, especially with shots from distance, which will offer us other solutions.”

Brendan Rodgers preparing for Old Firm derby

Celtic face Rangers on Sunday in this season’s first Old Firm derby.

It remains to be seen if former Levante loanee Valle will be part of Rodgers’ squad, The Hoops boss excited about the technical qualities the youngster honed in Barcelona’s fabled La Masia academy.

“His footballing style will complement our attacking play as well as giving us more options in our backline,” Rodgers tells the Celtic website.

‘Álex has been brought up in a real high-quality footballing environment learning all the good habits and skills associated with any top team. He is a player with some tremendous attributes.

“He has performed really well for Levante last season, been around Barcelona’s first team this year already, and he is a welcome and quality addition to our squad.”