Celtic intensifies interest in Tottenham’s Alfie Devine after extensive scouting campaign

Celtic is turning up the heat on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Alfie Devine, with the Scottish champions conducting multiple scouting missions over the past six months and interim manager Martin O’Neill personally endorsing the young Englishman as a key transfer target.

The move signals Celtic’s ambitions to add creative depth in midfield ahead of the upcoming season, and a complicated transfer situation involving Preston North End may have just cracked open the perfect window.

A Championship loan spell that turned heads

Devine, who turned 21 last August, spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Preston North End in England’s Championship. He contributed 8 goals and between 4 to 6 assists across roughly 40 Championship appearances.

Devine operated primarily as a number 10, the classic playmaker role sitting behind the striker, but he also showed the versatility to drop deeper and function as a number 8.

Preston reportedly triggered a permanent transfer option for Devine, valued at around £6 million. But complications have emerged around that deal, throwing his future into uncertainty.

From Wigan to Spurs to… Glasgow?

Devine’s trajectory has been a steady upward curve since he was plucked from Wigan Athletic’s academy by Tottenham back in 2020 for approximately £300,000. He was just 16 at the time.

An England youth international, Devine became the youngest scorer in Tottenham’s history when he netted in an FA Cup tie against Marine at the age of 16 years and 163 days.

Celtic’s scouting of Devine dates back to April 2026. Martin O’Neill’s involvement adds seriousness to the pursuit. O’Neill, who managed Celtic to a UEFA Cup final during his first stint at the club, is closely involved in Celtic’s transfer strategies and sees Devine as a key target.

What investors and fans should watch

The key variable here is whether Preston’s deal truly falls apart or gets restructured. If the complications are purely administrative or financial, Preston could still complete the signing, which would take Devine off the market entirely.

Devine was originally signed by Tottenham for roughly £300,000. If Preston’s £6 million deal collapses entirely, Celtic might be able to negotiate a fee somewhere in that range, or potentially lower if Tottenham decides to cut its losses on a player entering the final stretch of his contract situation.

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