Alvyn Sanches of Lausanne has been named by Stephen McGowan as a potential replacement for Matt O’Riley.

The Daily Mail reporter has provided a brief transfer update with Sanches mentioned in a report that focuses around Atalanta’s fifth and likely sixth bid to sign Celtic’s Danish midfielder.

Transfer activity at Celtic has been minimal with some fringe players moving out with the only outfield signings being Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo who were on loan last season.

Losing O’Riley would leave a massive gap in the Celtic midfield, it seems that the club has contingency plans in place with 14 days left until the transfer window closes.

Writing in the Mail, McGowan revealed:

O’Riley remains relaxed over his future. Should he leave before the close of the window, Celtic will move to replace him from a list of potential replacements.

Competition for £4.3m-rated Swiss under-21 international Sanches stems from Nice, Club Bruges, Anderlecht and Burnley. Keen to take the next step in his career, the 21-year-old is expected to leave Switzerland before the close of the window.

Celtic have also been linked with £10m-rated Belgian wonderkid Arne Engels.

Sanches has two years left to run on his Lausanne contract, last season he played 29 Swiss Super League matches, scoring five goals from central midfield.

Brendan Rodgers will meet the media today to preview Sunday’s match against Hibs with transfer activity likely to be the main theme.

With the Champions League opener just a month away time is at a premium for new signings to fit into the squad with an international break at the start of September.

Financing deals should be any problem for the SPFL champions but it seems that there is an impasse in identifying the quality of players suitable for Rodgers to slot into the team.