Latest Celtic transfer news as Bournemouth defender wanted back in Mexico after missing out on FIFA World Cup squad
The 2026 FIFA World Cup finals got underway yesterday as Mexico and South Africa kicked off the tournament at the famous Estadio Azteca.
Meanwhile, back on domestic matters, clubs across Scotland are already busy strengthening their squads for the 2026/27 SPFL season. The transfer window may not officially open til June 15 but there have already been plenty big deals negotiated across the divisions.
Celtic have secured a head coach for next season with Martin O’Neill extending his contract by another year and the Hoops can now get down to adding some new faces to their first team. However, on player who was on loan with the Scottish champions last season is looking increasingly unlikely to be returning.
Celtic face competition to secure former Barcelona man on permanent deal as Mexican giants enter transfer race
According to a report from Mediotiempo, former Celtic loanee Julián Araujo is attracting interest in his native Mexico. The 24-year-old joined the Hoops from English Premier League side Bournemouth in January and memorably netted a last minute winner against Kilmarnock in February with his first and only goal for the club.
The former LA Galaxy and Barcelona man, who the Cherries paid a reported £8.5 million to sign in 2024, managed just 13 appearances during his spell at Celtic Park. He suffered a severe hamstring injury in March which ruled him out for the remainder of his loan with the club.
It’s unclear if Celtic will look to sign the full-back again, either permanently or on another loan, but they look set to face competition for his signature if they decide to pursue a move. It is claimed that the Mexico international is on the radar of Cruz Azul, one of the biggest clubs in his homeland.
Araujo’s injury also effectively ended any hope he had of earning a call up to the Mexico squad for this summer’s FIFA World Cup finals. Javier Aguirre’s side kicked off the tournament on Thursday with a 2-0 win over South Africa at the Estadio Azteca in a match that featured three red cards - two for South Africa and one for Mexico.
Julián Araujo’s next transfer after Celtic loan cut short by injury
The report claims that Cruz Azul are keen to bring Araujo in along with another defender as ‘reinforcements’ for their defence. The reigning Liga MX champions are on a high after securing their tenth top flight title in 2026.
Araujo put pen to paper on a five year contract with Bournemouth when the Premier League outfit signed him from Barcelona in August 2024. That means he still has three years remaining on his deal with the Cherries.
The right-back spent just one season at Camp Nou, predominantly with the club’s B team, having made 100 appearances for Major League Soccer outfit LA Galaxy earlier in his career. He is eligible to represent both the USA and Mexico at international level and even earned one cap for the Stars and Stripes in 2020 before switching allegiances to Mexico where he has since played 16 times.
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