Celtic’s £10m+ Lithuanian Target Feels Stung: Should They Still Pay?

Celtic’s £10m+ Lithuanian Target Feels Stung: Should They Still Pay? Celtic will have to pay more than £10m for Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis in January, according to the Daily Record , which would break the club’s winter transfer record. Torino rejected a £9m bid in the summer, when Martin O’Neill wanted a replacement for Arne Engels after the Belgian left for West Ham . The collapsed move has also cost Celtic goodwill. Gineitis and his agent were left stung by how the talks ended and now doubt how serious Celtic were. His representatives have since opened contract discussions with Torino head coach Ignazio Abate, which strengthens the Italians’ hand. The player himself said in September that a Glasgow move would be an interesting and rewarding experience, so his interest has survived even if his trust has not. O’Neill’s side lead the Premiership with 28 points from 12 games, yet they lost 2-0 at Falkirk on 1 November and needed two late goals from Camilo Duran to beat Besiktas 3-2 last Thursday, their first Europa League win of the campaign. Midfield cover has looked thin since the 5-1 defeat at LASK in Champions League qualifying, and the summer arrivals of Mika Baur, Oliver Sorensen and Joel van den Berg have not settled it. Gineitis is 22, left-footed and 6ft 3in, with the quick feet and ball-carrying to drive Celtic up the pitch. His output is the concern. He has three goals and four assists in roughly 86 Torino appearances, and managed one assist and no goals in 29 Serie A games last season. He is also a box-to-box runner rather than a natural anchorman. Is Gineitis worth a record January fee for Celtic? FLORENCE, ITALY – SEPTEMBER 05: Gvidas Gineitis of Torino FC in action during the Serie A match between ACF Fiorentina and Torino FC at Stadio Artemio Franchi on September 5, 2026 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by Gabriele Maltinti/Getty Images) Not at that price. Celtic would pay more now than Torino turned down in August, for a midfielder whose numbers look nothing like Engels’, who scored and created regularly from the eight role. What Celtic lack is someone who protects the back four and breaks up play, and Gineitis only partly answers that. Callum McGregor is 33, so a long-term successor in the deep role is the genuine priority. Torino are also under pressure to sell. Sporting director Gianluca Petrachi admitted in August that the club loses around €20million a year, so a summer deal could cost less. If O’Neill still wants Gineitis now, the fee should stay close to £10million, and a specialist holding midfielder should come first.