There has been plenty of change at Celtic since the end of last season with a turnover of both coaching and playing staff over the past nine months.
Australian head coach Ange Postecoglou left to join Tottenham Hotspur and was replaced by Brendan Rodgers, who arrived for his second spell in Glasgow.
First-team stars Aaron Mooy, due to his retirement, Jota, and Carl Starfelt, who were both sold, all left and the club moved to bolster their squad in the transfer market with a host of new signings.
The likes of Luis Palma, Maik Nawrocki, Hyun-jun Yang, and Paulo Bernardo, among others, were signed in the summer, and were later joined by Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah during the January transfer window.
It seems likely that there will be more incoming business in the summer later this year as one first-team star has already confirmed that he will be moving on. Joe Hart will retire at the end of the season when his current contract with Celtic comes to an end.
Celtic eyeing Joe Hart replacement
The Scottish giants are reportedly eyeing up a current Premier League number two to come in and replace the former England international for the 2024/25 campaign.
According to Football Insider, the Hoops 'would love' to sign Liverpool shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher to be their new number one moving forward.
The report claims that the Bhoys will be in the market to sign a goalkeeper to replace Hart, rather than relying on any of their current back-up options; Scott Bain and Benjamin Siegrist.
However, it will not be an easy deal for Celtic to do as the outlet states that it would take a 'big-money' offer to secure his services this summer.
Football Insider also claims that Rodgers may struggle to convince the Republic of Ireland international to make the switch to Glasgow as there may be Premier League interest in his signature, as they state that Nottingham Forest were keen on him in January.
Real Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin was also linked with Celtic earlier this season but a move for the Ukraine international now seems unlikely as he is currently starring for the Spanish side in LaLiga and the Champions League.
If the Hoops can strike a deal to sign Kelleher at the end of the season then the Irish colossus could come in as an ideal replacement for Hart, given his age and quality.
Joe Hart's season in numbers
The veteran shot-stopper has enjoyed a solid campaign in the Scottish Premiership so far but did struggle in the Champions League earlier this term.
Hart, who turns 37 this year, conceded 15 goals in six group stage matches in Europe's premier cup competiton as Celtic finished bottom of the table.
He underperformed as a shot-stopper as the ex-Manchester City star conceded 1.7 more than the average goalkeeper would be expected to based on the post-shot xG of the shots against him.
The 36-year-old giant also ranked within the bottom 22% or lower for percentage of crosses stopped at 1.2% and defensive actions outside of the penalty area per 90 (0.17), which shows that he struggled to control his area and sweep behind his defence.
Meanwhile, Hart has saved 70% of the shots on his goal in the Premiership and kept ten clean sheets in 26 appearances for the Scottish giants.
He has not made a single error that has led to a shot or a goal for the opposition in the top-flight so far this season, which suggests that the English ace has been a solid and reliable performer.
Hart, who has made 139 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions to date, has actually improved in comparison to his form during the 2022/23 campaign.
The former Tottenham Hotspur back-up played 37 Premiership games for Celtic last season and saved 65% of the shots against him, to go along with four errors that led to shots for the opposition.
This suggests that the Bhoys number one is going out on a high this summer as his performance levels have actually increased over the last 18 months or so, rather than a natural drop-off with age.
Why Caoimhin Kelleher is an ideal Hart replacement
Rodgers could now land a dream replacement for Hart by signing Kelleher, who is 11 years younger than the current first-choice and could be a long-term option for the club.
He is currently the second-choice at Anfield behind Brazil international Alisson and has caught the eye when called upon over the past few years.
In ten Premier League appearances for Liverpool in his career, the Irish ace has conceded 0.2 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the shots against him.
This suggests that he has been a solid shot-stopper who has not drastically under or overperformed based on the quality of the efforts on his goal.
In seven outings in the Champions League and Europa League combined for the Reds, Kelleher has let in 0.1 fewer goals than expected based on post-shot xG.
Kelleher has also showcased his quality on the big stage with a phenomenal performance against Chelsea at Wembley in the League Cup final on Sunday.
Minutes played
120
Shots faced
Nine
Shots saved
Nine
Clearances
Three
Sofascore rating
9.2
Stats via Sofascore
Speaking after the match, Klopp heralded him as "the best no.2 in the world" and the statistics, in the table above, show why his manager was so quick to praise him.
The Ireland international was unbeatable between the sticks and played a crucial role in his side's win, with his stunning close-range save from Cole Palmer in the first-half a key moment in the game.
In two finals for Liverpool – interestingly both against Chelsea – Kelleher has saved 100% (12/12) of the shots against him and prevented 3.9 xG in total, which shows that he has the quality and mentality to perform on the biggest stage.
Therefore, the 25-year-old colossus could be the perfect player to replace Hart as he has all the tools to be a success in Glasgow, due to his age, quality, and ability to deliver top-class displays under pressure.
It is now down to Rodgers and the club to work hard to secure a deal to bring him to Parkhead for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.
