STEFAN JOHANSEN believes things are shaping up nicely as Celtic prepare for their Europa League return leg against Inter Milan on Thursday.
And the Norwegian midfielder, who scored against Hamilton for the fourth domestic game in a row, thinks the club should be applauded for business done in last month’s transfer market.
Ronny Deila spent £2million in recruiting Dundee United double-act Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven while the club resisted any moves for the likes of Virgil Van Dijk, who Southampton were scouting at last week’s Europa League match.
Johansen said: ‘It’s important to bring in new signings, especially good players, and Stuart came in and scored in the league and in Europe while Gary has done really well for us, too.
‘We kept all our players, as well, so to look back at when the gaffer came in to right now, the fitness of the players and the shape of the team is much better now and the squad is getting stronger.
‘Every player is getting better, so things are looking very good for us for the rest of the season.
‘It has been so important to keep everyone together. We have quality players who were on other clubs’ radars, but we managed to keep them.
‘That can be the difference in the end if we want to win trophies.’
Meanwhile Kris Commons hopes that he’s done enough in the victory over Hamilton to make the starting eleven for this week’s decisive second leg tie with Inter Milan, after the Celtic star decided to sit out the first leg due to injury fears.
Commons admitted there was a time he would have gambled with his hamstring injury just to get the chance to play in such a big match.
He said: ‘If I had been younger I would have played but there is a lot of football to be played and I wanted to be involved in the run-in rather than just the one game.
‘It was nice to come back and get the three points.
“Hopefully I have done enough to get into the starting eleven.’
