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Fullname: Joel Mugisha Mvuka
aka: Joel Mvuka
Born: 12 November 2002
Birthplace: Bergen, Norway
Signed: 2 February 2026 (on loan from Lorient to 31 May 2026)
Left: 24 May 2026 (end of loan)
Position: Forward
Debut: Celtic 2-1 Dundee, Scottish Cup, 7 Feb 2026
Squad No.: 32
Internationals: […]
International Caps: [TBC at end of career]
International Goals: [TBC at end of career]
Biog
Joel Mvuka arrived at Celtic with quite a drama which seems to parallel the disheveled state of Celtic. As Celtic desperately tried to fumble around to complete any transfers to help temper the baying supporters in the stands, Joel Mvuka was identified as one or two new players to tie up in the final days. However, he reportedly failed a medical due to issues over due to a a history of heart irregularity issues. The deal was pulled but renegotiations meant a compromise was reached of a loan with an option to buy. The fans had their heads in their hands and saw this as another botched handling of a transfer window by the board, so Mvuka had a lot to prove.
The first half the season had overall been a shambles for the club, with three different managers, leaving Celtic back in the hands of interim manager Martin O’Neill and hanging on in the league challenge. Hearts were on top by 6pts, with Celtic fighting off a resurgent TheRangers for second spot at this state, with both sides on equal pts on the day of his signing. Off the field, there was huge turmoil between the board & the support, whilst the squad was weak with key players our injured, and new arrivals were desperately needed to rejuvenate everything.
On the back of that, new forwards were needed to hit the ground running, and fellow new transferee Cvancara had already had a decent start so was initially preferred.
Mvukak made his debut in a 2-1 victory in the Scottish Cup v Dundee (Feb 2026), but was pulled off at only half-time, but was clearly finding the going tough, and seemed lost in his time on the pitch.
He is though most remembered for when he came on as a sub in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals v TheRangers, which Celtic won on penalties (Mar 2026). Mvuka was just poor and out-of-depth in a game in which had a chance to make a name for himself. To many of the more caustic, he looked like he was of the standards from the Juniors leagues. Celtic had a huge backlog of injuries which provided him the opportunity but no one was convinced he was of the quality needed, and from there on in he was not to make another appearance for Celtic again.
In a cutthroat season which saw Celtic playing catch-up, and often out of the running, whilst Hearts commanded the top spot until the end, with TheRangers appearing to be resurgent for periods, there was little room for experimentation. Therefore it lost Mvuka any opportunities to get further gametime, not that anyone was calling for a recall based on his last performance. Once Maeda came back to form and Iheanacho started to post key goals, Mvuka wasn’t required, whilst Cvancara may have had to drop out prematurely due to injury, Mvuka wasn’t not still in the running.
Celtic recovered to incredibly win the domestic league & Scottish Cup double against all the odds, which will have been a great experience to have been involved in, but Mvuka’s status was now lower than we had arrived. He was never going to be kept on. He never even got to play in any league match in that incredible title triumph against all the odds.
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Quotes
“Joel is a talented player who has a very good level of experience achieved at some really good clubs. “He will give the squad another option, he is very quick, able to play on both wings and I am sure he will make a very positive contribution to the club. “I know he is very excited about joining Celtic and we are hoping he can make a great impact for us.”
Martin O’Neill (Feb 2026)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (subs) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 2025-26 | – | 2 | – | – | 2 |
| Goals | – | 0 | – | – | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
(Honours are marked below in which the player has played in at least one of the matches in the campaign.)
Scottish Cup
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Welcome to Celtic, Joel Mvuka
Club News
By Celtic Football Club
03 Feb 2026, 12:01 am
Celtic are delighted to announce our fifth signing of the January transfer window with Norwegian winger, Joel Mvuka, joining the club from French side Lorient on a loan deal until the end of the season, subject to international clearance, with the club having an option to buy.
The 22-year-old, who has been capped at Under-21 level for Norway, joined Lorient in 2023 after two years with Bodø/Glimt, and he played against Celtic when the sides met in the Europa Conference League back in 2022.
He started his career with Norwegian side, Asane, before moving to Bodø/Glimt in 2021. He moved to France in 2023 when he joined Lorient, during which time he’s had loan spells with Bodø/Glimt and also YB Bern.
Celtic Manager Martin O’Neill said: “Joel is a talented player who has a very good level of experience achieved at some really good clubs.
“He will give the squad another option, he is very quick, able to play on both wings and I am sure he will make a very positive contribution to the club.
“I know he is very excited about joining Celtic and we are hoping he can make a great impact for us.”
Speaking to Celtic TV, Joel Mvuka said: “It feels really good to finally be here. The thing that sits in my mind from playing at Celtic Park was before the game when the fans were singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, and I thought ‘Wow!’
“I was a team-mate of Sebastian Tounekti’s at Bodø/Glimt and I know him very well so I can’t wait to finally see him again.
“I’m a fast winger, I can play left or right, and I’m good with the ball, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Joel Mvuka joins Celtic after transfer renegotiated
David Irvine Profile Image
By David Irvine
Head of Sports Audience (Scotland)
Celtic have signed Lorient winger Joel Mvuka on loan – with the club holding the option to make the deal permanent.
The Parkhead side confirmed the arrival of the 22-year-old in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
It’s understood Mvuka had been planned to sign a permanent deal with Celtic for a fee in the region of £3m.
However, the deal was renegotiated on deadline day after an issue was flagged up during his routine medical ahead of the move to Glasgow.
Instead of a permanent agreement, Celtic instead signed the winger on a loan with the option to buy in the summer.
A club statement confirmed: “Celtic are delighted to announce our fifth signing of the January transfer window with Norwegian winger, Joel Mvuka, joining the club from French side Lorient on a loan deal until the end of the season, subject to international clearance, with the club having an option to buy.”
Martin O’Neill commented: “Joel is a talented player who has a very good level of experience achieved at some really good clubs.
“He will give the squad another option, he is very quick, able to play on both wings and I am sure he will make a very positive contribution to the club.
“I know he is very excited about joining Celtic and we are hoping he can make a great impact for us.”
Mvuka said: “It feels really good to finally be here. The thing that sits in my mind from playing at Celtic Park was before the game when the fans were singing You’ll Never Walk Alone, and I thought ‘Wow!’
“I was a team-mate of Sebastian Tounekti’s at Bodø/Glimt and I know him very well so I can’t wait to finally see him again.
“I’m a fast winger, I can play left or right, and I’m good with the ball, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Joel Mvuka – Let’s not write off Celtic’s debut Bhoy after just 45 minutes
https://thecelticstar.com/joel-mvuka-lets-not-write-off-celtics-debut-bhoy-after-just-45-minutes/
By justanordinarybhoy 8 February, 2026 4 Comments
Joel Mvuka of Celtic
Joel Mvuka of Celtic. Celtic v Dundee, Scottish Cup, Fifth Round, Celtic Park, 07 February 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace Writing Mvuka off after just 45 minutes is unjust, unfair and frankly daft…
Joel Mvuka of Celtic
7th February 2026 Celtic Park, Scottish Cup, Celtic v Dundee. Dundee goalkeeper Jon McCracken clears from Joel Mvuka of Celtic. Photo David Young
New signing Joel Mvuka was handed his debut in Saturday evening’s Scottish Cup clash with Dundee at Celtic Park, with Martin O’Neill naming the Norwegian attacker in his starting XI, and it’s safe to say that he far from impressed the watching Celtic support, whether at the ground or watching on Premier Sports or Celtic TV.
Mvuka looked a bit nervy, and didn’t exactly show he’s a player who can make a difference to our powderpuff attack, and Martin O’Neill like everyone else was equally unimpressed which was evident when the Norwegian didn’t appear in the second period, being replaced by veteran James Forrest, who was just as disappointing it has to be acknowledged.
This has led to a section of our support judging the former Bodo/Glimt player as a flop and writing him off after just 45 minutes of action. That’s an outrageous take, even by our own supports hard to please attitude.
In my own opinion, Mvuka didn’t look anything special, or better than anyone we already have in the squad, but I’m prepared to give him the time he deserves to prove otherwise. He deserves it after all. We need to look at the bigger picture before judging his ability as a footballer.
And as Sandman noted in his Definitive Ratings earlier today on The Celtic Star at least Joel Mvuka was able to get some crosses into the Dundee box in that first half.
He looks rather raw, and perhaps lacking the required match fitness, which is understandable due to his limited game time at parent club Lorient, and it will naturally take a few games to get him up to speed. Indeed this could have been on Martin’s O’Neill’s mind ahead of kick-off, to give Joel 45 minutes to edge him into the challenge of playing for Celtic.
Mvuka was starting his first game at a new club, in a new country, with new teammates, whilst trying to adapt to a different style of football, so it’s only natural that he looked a little startled by the whole experience.
Some players hit the ground running, whilst some take time to adapt, everyone is different after all. Mvuka falls under the latter category, but it’s only fair we give him a chance to impress.
Writing him off completely is both unjust and unfair. And daft.