WILFRIED NANCY has been assessing his Celtic squad as he prepares to plunge into next month’s transfer market.
The Frenchman realises the champions desperately need reinforcements – with a frontman the main priority.
The Hoops have scored just 29 goals in 17 Premiership outings and have fired six blanks in all competitions in a season that has failed to ignite at home or abroad.
The champions are six points behind Premiership pacesetters Hearts after losing both of their encounters with the Edinburgh club in this topsy-turvy campaign, 3-1 at Tynecastle and 2-1 in Glasgow, Nancy’s debut outing.
SIGN HERE, PLEASE…Wilfried Nancy taking notes.
Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to French club Rennes for £10million in January and, remarkably, the prolific Japanese raider, with 85 strikes for the club, has never been suitably replaced, as CQN pointed out earlier this week.
The goal threat of Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah has also been removed with the club picking up £23.7million in transfer fees from Serie A side Como and Championship outfit Swansea City respectively.
Johnny Kenny, with only five goals in 16 appearances, has struggled to lead the attack the young Irishman missed a host of first-half chances in the 2-1 loss to Dundee United last midweek and followed up with a shot-shy display in the late 3-1 win over Aberdeen on Sunday.
In his rare appearances, Shin Yamada has looked well off the pace while UEFA deadline-day arrival Kelechi Iheanacho and former Fulham prospect Callum Osmand are being hindered by hamstring problems.
The onus has fallen on Daizen Maeda, but it’s obvious the Japanese speedster needs support as attack-leader.
As Nancy prepares for Saturday’s Premiership trip to Livingston, he admitted a new striker is a priority and said: “We’ll see what we’re going to do with that.
“We will work until the last day of the window.
“Sometimes, yes, we want to do things, but there are certain things that we cannot control. We are not the only club.
“There is a desire to get players, like every window, and it will not change. But after that, the idea is not just to add players for the sake of adding.
“We will just see what we need in terms of quality, yes, but in terms of personality, because we need personality players to play in this club.”
MISFIRING HITMAN…Johnny Kenny misses smack in front of goal during the 2-1 loss at Tannadice.
Nancy insisted he’s been in constant contact with Paul Tisdale and the recruitment department in a bid to strengthen for the second half of the season as they go for a record 56th title.
However, the former Columbus Crew head coach revealed he had NOT asked for a transfer war chest from the Parkhead powerbrokers.
Nancy, speaking to Daily Record, added: “This is not about how much money. This is about how we are going to spend it. This is the most important thing.
“It is a day-to-day job. We know there is a window coming up. There is no specific timeline.
“We discuss things about players. The idea is to find a good one.”
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