Charly Musonda, 21, graduate of the Belgian football’s prolific development system, would be unavailable for transfer for £30m. Celtic have paid handsomely for his 18-month loan, with the plan to expose him to the rigours of competitive football here and in Europe.
Brendan Rodgers knows the player will be available for the crucial Champions League qualification games this summer, which itself takes the pressure off having to retain players for the same position who might want away (think back to Stuart Armstrong last summer).
This deal is down to the personal gravitas of the Brendan. No manager in Celtic history would have been able to secure such a deal (they didn’t happen in the Stein era and O’Neill could hardly have been less interested in youth development).
Charly is a gifted, creative, player, who will entertain and excite. His comments about the club yesterday could scarcely have been improved upon by a lifelong Celtic fan. As I watched his Celtic TV interview it was clear this lad with the Ronaldinho smile loves entertaining. So often players look surly and unsure when being interviewed.
This is not a permanent signature, but it is the new reality. Top talent is hoarded by the wealthy few. Clubs who recognise that they have something to contribute to this new scenario have the opportunity to prosper. At Celtic, we can let players:
Experience competitive first team football.
Test themselves in the Champions League.
Work with an acknowledged and respected top coach.
We can also pay appropriate money for the loan.
This isn’t as good as finding a van Dijk for £2.6m, but it will improve our competitiveness in the Champions League.
The impact the signing will make on the rest of the squad will become evident in the weeks to come. This season has been more challenging for Scott Sinclair (yes, despite his remarkable scoring status), but watch him bloom as defenders have another creative headache to worry about. The same dividend will be enjoyed by others.
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And banter
The Celtic squirrels used to be dragging up top footballers who loved the Hoops growing up and putting it in the Celtic view. More innocent times!
Van Basten: I’d tune in to radio Scotland to cheer on the bhoys!
I meant to add that i don’t recall headlines about being linked with players we could never get or inflated offers for players we wanted shot of. Usually there were stories about our better players wanting away just before big games.
If rather live in reality than through soothing made up stories all the same
£750k for a £10k GK, is as bad as the Morelos BS….get an experienced guy in on a 6 month deal IMO.The long term GK will need addressed in summer, big Craig has been excellent for us, but a few hefty injuries over the years.
Should be offering any money to Motherwell.
should = shoudn’t
SOT
thanks for Le Calandre looks delighful and not a stupid price.
Pay the same for mediocrity served lukewarm here and given 10/10 by pig ignorant food crtics
‘
BSR- Correct, laugh at Motherwell then hang the phone up.
who would win in a fight between Brewdog and the Elvis Estate
HES GOAL DO A TASTY LINK SAUSAGE H H
https://imgur.com/a/fJiK1
Charly & The Bhoys
Celtic are eyeing a deal for Arsenal’s Emiliano Martinez but need his current loan club Getafe to agree to the deal, according to the Sun.
The Argentine is playing second fiddle to Vicente Guaita at the Spanish outfit but Guaita has already agreed a pre-contract with Crystal Palace and could sign a permanent deal in January if the clubs can agree a fee.
Getafe aren’t willing to allow Martinez to tear up his loan deal until they know if Guaita’s future, and that could cause problems for Brendan Rodgers as he searches for a replacement for Craig Gordon.
But Leeds also want to sign the 25-year-old.
If reports are to be believed ,We have offered Motherwell 25 times what they paid for Carson but they are demanding 75 times what they paid for him.
I’ll draft a short reply for ye Peter;
Dear Mr Robinson GTF.
BOBBY MURDOCH’S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERSon 30TH JANUARY 2018 12:58 PM
AULDHEID 1220
In a nutshell,Lawwell was talking shite. My accountant mate can make 1+1 equal whatever the client wishes,Ffs,even I can make it equal a sequence of numbers starting wi 3,17 and 171.
Ever thought you’ve been cheated?
Ever thought the mineshafters were on the money?
Oh,the money. There you go,there’s not so much your answer as your starter for ten.
Or 3,17,171. Take your pick. Smoke and mirrors and fool the people time and again.
Thing is,AULDHEID. We are increasingly not being fooled. I’m just off the phone to a fella who has been going to the games longer than I have-and more often,since he still stays in Scotland. He’s not renewing.
He’s had it.
You’ve helped people see the deception,people listen to you. You deserve that. And the plaudits that go with it. I know you don’t want people to turn their back on Celtic,but have the board done enough to give people a reason not to?
=======
Scottish football has been an illusion since 2000 at least.
Suspicions that there was more going on behind the screen than was being projected on it have always been part of the game.
Social media has allowed us to go behind the screen and part of me wishes I hadn’t bothered.
Perhas it is just best to leave folk in the comfort of the illusion than face the decisions reality presents them with?
The challenge facing Celtic is pulling away the last remaining veil that has sustained the game for years.
What will take its place? Will more supporters stay with the tattered illusion than will abandon it?
What might encourage Celtic (and the other clubs who prefer to live with the illusion) to act, is more doing as your friend did.
Celtic are aware of this if you read Lawwell’s letters to SFA starting in May 2012 and August Sepember 2017.
When the SFA investigation is complete it will be make your mind up time for Celtic and those who have seen the illusion that a dishonest outcome will strengthen.
Will Celtic
Live with it although some will drift off never to return?
Or
Shatter the illusion in the hope that many will stay and want to be part of creating something real that lasts the test of time.?
Folk don’t like change. They get comfortable and lazy. They don’t like being wakened up. This includes Celtic.
Imagine Dundee and Motherwell ,holding the celts to ransom . They have had there chance move on from dealing with them . And peter Should be like squire danacher , and mark them in his black book , of who not to deal with .
Sky sports news still running the Morelos shite. Poor Murty ,I almost feel sorry for him having to front that shite, with a lost look on his face and ‘Thunderbirds’ style strings coming up from his neck and shoulders.
That awkward moment when Michelle Done speaks.
Jeeeezzzz Done…………Mone
Did we not give Dundee and Murderwell 250k for European bonus last year
Tell them both to GTF
BOURNESOUPRECIPE
I think you were right the first time.
From VIZ comments page
If Murderwell don’t give us Keeper tell them we want Shifty Back !!!!!!!!!!!!!
I won’t miss that trollope Mone, if I ever see her, spoke to my son like a bit of $#@!# on her Manolos, when he worked in Debenhams Silverburn.She used the staff like her personal lackeys, boot.
BSR
saw it, having been in her company a few times I was dumfounded to find out she is in the House
Good evening friends.
The game starts in 3 hours. Serious question – will we have a goakeeper on the bench?
Possibly Ross Doohan as sub goalie.
He never played for the developement team last night
Conor Hazard is currently on loan to Falkirk. If we haven’t recalled him do we turn to the development squad? Does Nir Bitton have gloves?
Bada Bing
Just to amuse you, was getting on a plane back from Majorca and Senora Mone was giving it the ” do you know I am” approach to the ground staff, to get to the front of the queue and in front of a very appreciative Glasgow queue she was sent away with a flea in her ear. Very funny!!!
HH
LMCBHOY- Talk about forgetting where you came from….? Lady Muck…
Sky still insisting we’re going for 11 point lead
skycouldnotgiveamonkeysaboutscottishfootballCSC
Citeh sign laporte for £57m – no me neither
Wrap up tonight Bhoys it’s freezing
And its just started to rain .
BBC website weather forecasts are for heavy rain tonight.
Scapaticci arrested
Cui Bono !!!
WHAT IS THE STARS on 30TH JANUARY 2018 5:06 PM
is that it.you might mention who he is and why arrested.
GENE
Laporte.
Remember him playing for Bilbao in A CL game v Napoli.Had Higuain in his back pocket.TV pundits were Cannavaro and Maldini .They raved re How good He was.Juve were Very interested but quickly learned they couldn’t afford him..
Any sign of Van Persie at Auchenhowie?
4 jumpers it is then, and I’m taking my gloves (not my goalie ones in case your panicking) :-)
H.H
4 nil,
Anyone remember what happened the last time Brendan signed a player the day before we played Herts???