Silas Andersen Joins Sporting Lisbon, Rangers and Celtic Miss Out

Silas Andersen, the 21‑year‑old Danish defensive midfielder, has agreed to join Sporting Lisbon. The deal is structured at an initial £6.4m rising to about £8.9m in performance‑related add‑ons, and is also reported as €7.5m plus €2.5m in bonuses. Rangers and Celtic both missed out on the signing. Andersen arrived at BK Hacken in January after the Swedish club signed him from Utrecht. He logged 57 appearances and netted nine goals for Hacken. He previously trained at Inter Milan’s academy and has represented Denmark at various youth levels. Rangers made formal enquiries in the winter window and listed Andersen as a priority. Norwegian advisor Stig Inge Bjornebye is understood to have recommended him to the Ibrox side. Rangers could not match Sporting’s European football and larger wage structure. Celtic secured Champions League qualification through a Scottish Cup final win, giving them more financial flexibility. Rangers’ earlier attempt to fill the defensive midfield gap with Joe Rothwell proved a costly misjudgement. The club now also targets Dan Neil from Sunderland as part of a broader midfield reshuffle. Andersen is expected to travel to Portugal to complete a five‑year contract with the Champions League quarter‑finalists. A photo by Charles McQuillan shows Jonathan Lunney of Shelbourne challenging Andersen in a UEFA Conference League 2025/26 match. Rangers and Celtic will continue to assess their options ahead of the new season.