Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has played down reports linking the Scottish champions with a move for Gremio winger Ferreira.

Both Football.Scotland‘s Mark Hendry and Sky Sports‘ Anthony Joseph have confirmed the Hoops’ interest in the Brazilian. However, when asked about the speculation linking the club with both Ferreira and Mohamed Reda, Rodgers replied:

“I don’t know them to be honest.”

It remains to be seen whether Rodgers is simply being cagey. Hendry and Joseph are usually pretty reliable when it comes to the comings and goings of players at Celtic Park so it’s likely that someone in the club’s recruitment department knows who Ferreira is.

Even in the Brazilian media, there has been confirmation that the Hoops are interested in the 25-year-old, which indicates that a transfer still can’t be ruled out.

Why do Celtic want to buy Ferreira?

The Brazilian has the ability to play off both wings, and he is known to have flair, as well as possessing the vision needed to create chances for others.

On top of that, Ferreira’s contract expires in under eighteen months’ time, with his current deal set to end in December 2024. Gremio would, therefore, be open to letting him leave for the right price.

How much would Ferreira cost?

It is believed that Gremio would demand around £6m for the winger. In usual circumstances that would be deemed a sizeable outlay for a club like Celtic.

However, after receiving £25m from the sale of Jota, there is greater room for manoeuvre in the transfer market, especially as they are looking for a replacement for the Portuguese star.

A move for Ferreira would still be a risk, considering that he has never played in Europe. However, the Hoops’ scouts are usually pretty good at finding talent and there is no reason why he couldn’t succeed in Scottish football.