Celtic are reportedly closing in on their seventh addition of the summer transfer window after they agreed a deal to sign Luis Palma from Greek side Aris.
What's the latest Celtic transfer news?
According to The Scottish Sun, the Hoops are finalising a £3.5m deal to bring the Honduras international to Parkhead to replace Jota, who joined Al-Ittihad earlier this summer.
The report claims that the talented winger will put pen to paper on a long-term contract with the club; joining Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Hyun-jun Yang, Maik Nawrocki, Marco Tilio, Gustaf Lagerbielke, and Odin Thiago Holm in joining the Scottish giants.
It states that Brendan Rodgers could make up to five new additions before the deadline passes on Friday and that a left-back is one of the positions targeted by the Northern Irish head coach.
The Hoops have been linked with an interest in signing Nantes full-back Quentin Merlin, who could be available for a fee within the region of €8m (£6.8m).
How good is Quentin Merlin?
Rodgers could secure an instant partner for the incoming Palma by sealing a swoop to snap up the France U21 international as he has the quality to form a fantastic link-up with the £3.5m talent.
The Nantes star, who was once described as a "complete" left-back with a potential of 9/10 by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is an attack-minded defender who has the ability to burst forward to make things happen at the top end of the pitch.
Merlin created seven 'big chances' and produced 1.5 key passes per match for his teammates across 24 Ligue 1 appearances during the 2022/23 campaign as he showcased his creativity on a regular basis.
Celtic's current first-choice left-back Greg Taylor, meanwhile, provided 1.3 key passes per game and created two 'big chances' for the club across 31 Scottish Premiership outings.
These statistics suggest that the French dynamo has the potential to offer more quality as a creator from that position due to his superior chance creation in a major European league.
Merlin could, therefore, be a dream partner for Palma as his ability to split open the opposition's defence could help the Honduras international to thrive in the final third.
Firstly, the Aris hotshot is a clinical finisher who could add to his goal tally by getting himself onto the end of the left-footed ace's passes as he racked up 11 goals and only missed one 'big chance' in 29 league games last season.
This shows that Palma rarely passes up presentable opportunities in front of goal and Merlin has proven himself to be capable of creating big chances from left-back, which could result in a profitable link-up for the Hoops down the left flank if they are deployed alongside each other.
Merlin's presence at left-back could also create more space for the 23-year-old winger if opposition defenders are forced to pay close attention to the French gem due to his exceptional ability in possession. He could draw players to him and, therefore, open up room for Palma to work his magic out wide.
Therefore, the pair could be an exciting duo for Celtic in the final third if the Hoops are able to secure deals for both of them before Friday's deadline passes.