Three weeks until the start of the season, Celtic urgently needs to be more proactive in the transfer market…
That’s correct, the upcoming season is only three weeks away, and rather worryingly, we have still to improve the overall quality of our fragile squad.
It’s like Groundhog Day, in that we always proclaim to improve on our failures, learn our lessons and so on but here we are yet again, guilty of the same old incompetence on the recruitment front.
Camilo Duran is our one and only signing to date, and of course there is the recent capture of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was part of last season’s squad, so he’s not what you would class as a new signing.
Kasper Schmeichel has retired, and Kelechi Iheancaho, despite being linked with a return, is also absent from last season’s squad, so we are very much weaker than when we were when we signed off with a Scottish Cup win back in late May.
Iheancaho it was said, suffered from not having a full pre-season at the club, joining Celtic the day after the summer 2025 transfer window closed as a free agent. He was in the building and keen to extend is stay after the Scottish Cup final in May. Yet Celtic did nothing until making him an offer this week. If it’s not an outrageous lowball job the Nigerian international could join the squad but will have missed weeks of pre-season. Crazy really when you think about it.
The likes of Daizen Maeda, and Arne Engels won’t be at the club much longer with bids expected for both players in the coming weeks, whilst Reo Hatate and a few others such as Paulo Bernardo also looks to have played his last game for the club, making it a top priority to have new faces in the squad so they can be bedded in for the upcoming campaign.
Plenty of players have been linked with a move, but as always, it’s mere speculation and nothing concrete.
We have the financial resources to complete such deals, but those whose job it is to conclude these deals are very much incapable of doing so. Which is what frustrates us as supporters, and I’m guessing it’s the same for Martin O’Neill.
Our rivals are busy strengthening their respective squads, whilst we seem to be sitting on our hands.
It’s time Celtic got proactive in the transfer market, and hand Martin O’Neill the players he needs to avoid the sort of scenario we were subjected to last term.
It took Michael Nicholson 18 months to replace Kyogo with what looks like a decent signing. But Duran alone is nowhere near enough, with the squad needing multiple additions even before we factor in replacing those about to go, including our talisman Daizen Maeda.
Just an Ordinary Bhoy
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4 Comments
We need players in for pre season training
You would think that we haven’t got any players in position, for the start of this coming season, with the carry on, with some within our support?
MoN already has enough decision making to be done, with the amount of players we already have under contract?
All this, while no-one has a clue yet, upon how MoN intends to set up our team, which is hugely going to effect the profile of player, he is going to be looking for, to fit into our squad and the system of play we are looking to apply?
So at present
2 keepers
8 defensive options
7 midfield options
9 attacking options
All without a potential returning jota in the making, along with potential youngsters in the making also?
26 players, and only 20 required for a SPFL match day squad? That is where we currently find ourselves?
All the while players are still here and under contract, they will be regarded as available for selection if fit?
The same applies to incoming players, will actually want to know if a place is available for themselves, within the forming of our 25man European squad?
To much presuming things are going to happen, all without knowing?
Players getting totally dismissed altogether?
All without giving any consideration to the decision making process, that MoN actually is going to have to face?
He was the preferred choice for the managerial role, yet you would think he has never had to deal with a pre season process whatsoever?
Beginning to wonder why we even bother with a manager, with so many making the decisions for MoN at present imo?
Scaremongering with the anti board agenda, is nothing more than a total disrespect on show, towards MoN and his decision making process involved?
If he wasn’t capable of dealing with the looming situation in place, within our club, then why so much of a demand for him to be kept in the position in the first instance?
Personally don’t now why he even wanted to take the role on?
But deserves far more respect with his decision making, than he’s currently seems to be getting imo?
so with all these players you mention why were we so poor last season ? we stole the league from hearts. if we lose maeda who steps in ? too much dead wood in the squad fresh faces are needed look across the city they are pushing ahead with business while Celtic sit on there hands and dawdle about doing pretty much nothing
No its not…