River Plate s midfielder Franco Mastantuono C celebrates after scoring the teams first goal against Boca Juniors during the 2025 Apertura Tournament of the Argentine Professional Football League match, at El Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, on April 27, 2025. BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA *** River Plate s midfielder Franco Mastantuono C celebrates after scoring the teams first goal against Boca Juniors during the 2025 Apertura Tournament of the Argentine Professional Football League match, at El Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, on April 27, 2025 BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA. Copyright: Imago Images
Hertha Berlin manager Stefan Leitl has confirmed the club has contingency plans in place should star goalkeeper Tjark Ernst depart this summer.
Ernst, a former Germany youth international, has attracted strong interest from both Celtic and Feyenoord, managed by Gio van Bronckhorst.
The goalkeeper reportedly has a release clause of €5million, equivalent to approximately £4.3million, built into his current Hertha Berlin contract.
Second-tier German rivals Wolfsburg had also been chasing Ernst’s signature, but sources within Germany claim the goalkeeper has already turned them down.
Leitl spoke candidly about the possibility of losing key players during this transfer window, acknowledging the club must prepare accordingly.
Speaking to TAG24, he said: “I believe the names are known and accordingly we must be prepared in case something else happen.”
Hertha’s willingness to plan for departures suggests Ernst’s exit from the 2. Bundesliga club could materialise before the window closes.
Separately, Celtic’s hopes of re-signing Uruguayan left back Marcelo Saracchi have taken a significant blow following developments at Boca Juniors.
Saracchi impressed during his loan spell at Celtic in the 2025/26 season, contributing to a league and cup double for the Hoops.
Celtic had hoped to bring the 28-year-old back to Parkhead on another temporary deal, but Boca Juniors rejected that approach outright.
The Buenos Aires club are only willing to let Saracchi leave on a permanent basis, making a second loan move extremely unlikely.
Argentine outlet El Intransigente has reported that Boca head coach Rodolfo Arruabarrena has now frozen Saracchi out of the first-team picture entirely.
The 11-time Uruguay international has also been linked with a move to domestic rivals Independiente as his future at Boca grows increasingly uncertain.
Boca’s sporting director Juan Roman Riquelme, the former Villarreal and Barcelona star, is reported to be seeking offers of at least $3million, around £2.2million, for the player.
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