By Mark Atkinson
Celtic defender Maik Nawrocki has clinched a loan deal to German side Hannover 96, according to reports. German media sources are claiming that the Bundesliga 2 outfit will take Nawrocki on loan for the 2025/26 season and have an option to buy should the Pole鈥檚 spell in Lower Saxony be a success. Contracted to Celtic until the summer of 2028, Nawrocki has struggled to break into the first-team under current manager Brendan Rodgers during his two years at the club. He has fallen behind Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty and Liam Scales in the pecking order and appears to have a limited future in Glasgow. Celtic paid nearly 拢4million to Legia Warsaw back in the summer of 2023 for the 24-year-old centre-half, who has been capped by Poland at under-21 level. However, the Parkhead hierarchy appear content to cut their losses and let Nawrocki move on. Respected German journalist Florian Plettenberg of Sky Sports wrote on X: 鈥滒煔‥XCL | Maik Nawrocki to Hannover 96 is a done deal! The 24 y/o centre-back from Celtic joins Hannover on loan with an option to buy. Medical completed. Last paperwork being finalised. Announcement soon.鈥 The Pole is not expected to be the only departure from Parkhead this weekend, with in-demand forward Nicolas Kuhn set to join Serie A side Como. The Italians are understood to have agreed a fee in the region of 拢16.5m for the German, who joined Celtic 18 months ago from Rapid Vienna for just 拢3m. Celtic have prepared for the imminent departures of Kuhn and Nawrocki by bringing in Swedish forward Benjamin Nygren from FC Nordsjaelland, while Japanese defender Hayato Inamura is poised to complete his move from Albirex Niigata in the coming days. Celtic are in action for the first time this pre-season on Friday night when they take on Queen鈥檚 Park in a friendly at the City Stadium.