Celtic are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Hearts star Claudio Braga ahead of Rangers in the summer transfer window.

We’ve already seen multiple times in the last few weeks that Celtic and Rangers are going head-to-head on targets, which is no surprise.

The two Glasgow clubs are often shopping in a similar market due to their stature in Scotland, although Celtic might have an advantage after their 25/26 season.

Celtic have already strengthened their forward line in the summer window, bringing in Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh, but further forward additions could be around the corner.

Martin O’Neill’s side kick-started their Scottish Premiership campaign last week, beating Dundee with a 1-0 victory in their opening game.

Celtic readying attacker move

Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Celtic are reportedly ready to make a move to sign Hearts attacker Braga in the summer transfer window, according to Football Insider.

Rangers are also believed to be interested in the Portuguese forward, who scored 14 goals in the Scottish Premiership last season.

Braga won the Scottish Premiership’s Player of the Season award, so it’s no surprise to see he’s attracting interest from the biggest clubs in the league.

The 26-year-old, described as ‘exceptional’ by Rangers manager Derek McInnes, will likely be attracted to a move to one of the Scottish giants, particularly after Hearts failed to lift the title last season.

Whether Hearts would be willing to sell to a Scottish rival remains to be seen, but Celtic certainly have more financial power.

Celtic should have advantage

Unfortunately for Rangers, Celtic are likely to hold an advantage over their Scottish rivals when it comes to new additions in the summer window.

Celtic are in the qualifiers for the Champions League after they lifted the Scottish Premiership title last season, while Rangers finished in third place.

Despite that, Celtic have already brought two strikers to the club in the summer transfer window, which could mean a club like Rangers are able to offer more regular minutes.

Celtic do appear more ready to make a move for the Portuguese forward, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a priority position for them to strengthen in the market.

West Ham United are reportedly plotting a loan move for Reiss Nelson from Arsenal to further strengthen Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.

After suffering relegation last season, the Hammers are looking to bounce back and earn promotion at the first time of asking. It’s fair to say they have one of the strongest squads of any EFL Championship club in history, especially with Jarrod Bowen staying put.

Joel Veltman has joined as a free agent after leaving Brighton & Hove Albion and the East Londoners have agreed on a £7 million deal with Tottenham Hotspur for Manor Solomon. But Santo and his transfer chiefs aren’t stopping there as they look to swoop for another Premier League star.

West Ham Interested in Reiss Nelson

Nelson is deemed surplus to requirements at Arsenal after spending last season on loan at Brentford. He has a year left on his contract, is way down Mikel Arteta’s pecking order and has been expected to leave the Gunners permanently.

According to Sky Sports’ Dharmesh Sheth, West Ham are keen on Nelson and have started to explore a potential loan deal. He wrote on X:

Nelson was disappointing during his loan spell at Brentford, spending the majority of it on the substitute’s bench. He failed to convince the Bees to make his stay permanent and headed back to the Emirates as he did after another loan spell at Fulham the season prior.

The 26-year-old could get his career back on track at the London Stadium and fill the void left by Crysencio Summerville, who joined Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal for £60 million in July. He’ll be eager for more first-team opportunities at this stage of his career.

Arsenal May Hesitate Over Nelson Loan

Nelson is now at an age where he needs regular football and he could relish the chance to help West Ham battle for promotion. The Hammers still need to reach an agreement with Arsenal to loan the Englishman, and that might prove tricky.

The Gunners have constantly sent him out on loan, and with a year left on his contract, might insist on a permanent departure this time around. It seems unlikely that a buy option would be included given he’ll be a free agent next summer.

Nelson may have faltered while at Brentford but he made a good impression during the early stages of his loan spell. Keith Andrews spoke highly of his mentality: “I thought his attitude was outstanding, the way he approached it, and you could see the quality that he has.”

West Ham could benefit from Nelson’s experience and versatility as he can play on both wings. He’d be another impressive addition to a squad that looks destined for a Championship title race.

More than 2,000 fans packed the streets outside a cathedral on the Portuguese island of Madeira on Saturday, convinced they were about to witness one of the biggest celebrity weddings in World football. Rumours had swirled for weeks that Cristiano Ronaldo was preparing to marry his long-time partner Georgina Rodriguez in his home city, despite his family publicly denying any such plans.

As per ESPN, the speculation was enough to draw huge crowds into the centre of Funchal, all hoping for a glimpse of the happy couple arriving at the Cathedral. What they got instead was a case of mistaken identity that went viral.

Wrong Wedding for Fans

Reuters/Maria Lysaker

Rumours had spread fast that some of the biggest celebrities would take to the streets of Madeira to witness Ronaldo marry Rodriguez over the weekend. Instead, the ceremony taking place inside the Cathedral belonged to a couple called Fabio and Nicole, who live in France but had returned to their home island to get married.

The crowd reportedly erupted as Nicole stepped out of a car, only to quickly realise she was not Georgina Rodriguez. Guests were left stunned by the scale of attention, with some fans choosing to stay for the ceremony, regardless of who it was getting married in the Cathedral.

Some guests had begged crowds to leave the couple to be married in peace, whilst others took the mix-up in lighthearted fashion, joking that they felt like celebrities for the day.

Ronaldo Sees The Funny Side in His Response

The confusion wasn’t confined to the Cathedral. Large crowds were also reportedly outside a five-star hotel in Funchal, which was rumoured to host the reception. Ronaldo’s sister, Elma Aveiro, weighed in publicly, questioning why fans had believed reports that were never officially confirmed by the family, and accusing the media of inventing details.

Ronaldo himself appeared to have found the episode amusing. Responding with a string of cry-laughing emojis to a Jornal da Madeira Instagram post showing footage of the crowds.

The Al Nassr forward has stayed quiet about when he and Rodriguez actually plan to marry. The pair got engaged in August last year, with Ronaldo presenting Rodriguez with a ring rumoured to be worth as much as $5 million. Reports since have suggested a wedding could take place in Madeira later in the year, but for now, the only wedding confirmed in Funchal this weekend belonged to Nicole and Fabio, who got considerably more attention than they bargained for.