Celtic’s search for firepower up front has taken on new urgency as the January 2026 transfer window approaches, with the club’s striking options stretched to breaking point. Injuries, departures, and a lack of depth have left the Glasgow giants in a precarious position, and the pressure is mounting to secure a proven goalscorer who can deliver in the second half of the season. The name on everyone’s lips now? Ibrahim Diabaté, the Ivory Coast forward who has just finished a sensational campaign in Sweden’s Allsvenskan.
As of December 26, 2025, Celtic’s need for reinforcements has become impossible to ignore. Johnny Kenny, still developing and not yet the finished article, has been thrust into a leading role he’s not quite ready for. Kelechi Iheanacho, a player brought in to provide experience and goals, finds himself sidelined once again with injury. Meanwhile, Callum Osmand’s brief promotion to the senior squad was cut short by a setback, leaving manager and fans alike anxious about who can step up when it counts.
It’s not just about filling out the squad; the Hoops are chasing domestic glory and can’t afford to keep misfiring in the final third. The departure of Adam Idah to Swansea City at the end of the last transfer window has only deepened the void, further emphasizing the need for a clinical striker. As one source put it, “A striker is not just a priority; it is the priority.”
Enter Ibrahim Diabaté, the 26-year-old whose stock has skyrocketed after a remarkable season with GAIS. Diabaté finished the 2025 Allsvenskan campaign as joint top scorer, netting 18 league goals and providing five assists, helping the Gothenburg club to a surprise third-place finish. He shared the prestigious golden boot with Djurgårdens IF’s August Priske, and his exploits have not gone unnoticed across Europe and beyond.
Valued at around £3 million and under contract with GAIS for another two years, Diabaté’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. Just last season, he managed a solitary league goal for Västerås SK. Fast forward to 2025, and he’s transformed into one of Scandinavia’s most feared finishers. Before his Swedish adventure, Diabaté honed his craft in Spain, turning out for the B teams of RCD Mallorca and Atlético Madrid, though he never made a senior La Liga appearance. His journey has been unconventional, but his current form is impossible to overlook.
Reports indicate that Celtic have already made their move, approaching GAIS about a potential deal. The competition is fierce, with Egyptian giants Al Ahly previously viewing Diabaté as a replacement for Wessam Abou Ali—another striker who had once been linked with Celtic. Yet, Diabaté himself poured cold water on the rumors of a move to Egypt, telling reporters last week: “These are just rumours. Nothing is clear about any transfer and there have been no discussions. Very little of what has been said about me signing for Al-Ahly is true.”
This statement has only fueled speculation that his next destination could be Celtic Park. For the Hoops, the appeal is obvious: a physical, confident striker who’s arriving with momentum, goals, and a hunger to prove himself on a bigger stage. With the Glasgow Derby looming at the start of January, the timing could hardly be more critical. If a deal can be struck in time, Diabaté would almost certainly be thrust straight into the starting lineup—a baptism of fire, perhaps, but one that could define Celtic’s season.
Diabaté’s journey to the top of the Swedish scoring charts has been anything but straightforward. After moving to GAIS from Västerås SK in 2024, he spent much of that season adapting to a new league and environment. The transformation in 2025 has been dramatic: from a single goal last year to 18 this term, with five assists thrown in for good measure. His contributions were pivotal in GAIS’s surge to third place, a finish that few pundits predicted at the outset of the campaign.
His performances have also caught the eye of national team selectors, with the striker having represented Ivory Coast at Under-21 level. However, a full international cap has thus far eluded him. That could change if he continues his upward trajectory, especially if he makes a successful switch to a higher-profile league like the Scottish Premiership.
For Celtic, the January transfer window represents a crucial opportunity to correct course. The club’s attacking woes have been laid bare by a combination of misfortune and mismanagement. Johnny Kenny’s development is promising but incomplete, Iheanacho’s injury problems persist, and Osmand’s setback has left the cupboard bare. The situation is unsustainable for a club with ambitions of lifting silverware and making an impact in Europe.
Diabaté’s arrival would not only address the immediate need for goals but also inject fresh energy and competition into the squad. At 26, he’s entering his prime, and his recent exploits suggest he has the temperament to thrive under pressure. The reported £3 million price tag is not insignificant, but for a player with his profile and potential, it could prove a shrewd investment.
Meanwhile, the rumor mill continues to churn with speculation about other potential striker targets. Giorgos Giakoumakis, currently on loan at PAOK and boasting nine goals in 20 appearances this season, has expressed a desire to return to Celtic. In his own words: “You want to set the fire? I would love to play for Celtic again. I don’t know if that’s a utopia or if it could happen again—but who wouldn’t?... I would love, love, love to wear this jersey again. I don’t know if this circle is done for me, but, yeah, that’s my truth.”
While Giakoumakis’s future remains uncertain, the focus for now is squarely on Diabaté. The club’s hierarchy knows that hesitation could be costly, especially with interest from other markets. The next few weeks will be pivotal as negotiations play out and the January window opens for business.
As the Hoops prepare for a defining stretch of the season, all eyes are on the boardroom and the transfer market. Will Ibrahim Diabaté be the man to solve Celtic’s striker crisis? The answer could shape the club’s fortunes well into 2026. For now, the situation is developing, and fans will be watching every twist and turn with bated breath.
