The transfer window closed yesterday with Celtic bringing in 10 players in total, six purchased and four season-long loan signings. Positions filled were:
A Goalkeeper
Left and right backs
Three central midfielders
One winger
Three strikers, one of whom has already played on the wing
Only central defence was not added to. Maik Nawrocki, who was out on loan last term, got a great move to Lens, although he suffered an ACL injury this week. This leaves us with four central defenders, which sounds light, although to be fair, five sounds too many to keep happy (ask Maik).
We have a glut of players who will compete for the No. 8 role: Mika Baur, Oliver Sorensen, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Luke McCowan, although some can fill other roles, including the No. 6. This position, occupied by Callum McGregor since the departure of Scott Brown five years ago, is the strategic gap I am sure the club are keen to fill.
For several seasons, Callum played more football than anyone else in the world game. He is almost always fit and a succession of managers have wanted him on the field whenever possible. Celtic need to bridge two competing demands: Callum to control as much of our game as possible, while giving enough time to bed-in a successor. That job has to start soon.
I could not be happier with the acquisition of Camilo Duran (24) and Kasper Hogh (25). Both in their prime with established Champions League credentials. It’s still early days, but how we managed to acquire Camilo for less than £5m is incredible. I get Kyogo-type vibes from him. Kasper gives us a dimension to our play that’s been missing for some time. What Martin does tactically when everyone is fit, will be interesting.
When early in the summer Martin talked about wanting Kelechi Iheanacho back at the club I was in despair. Kelechi’s cameos were crucial for us last season, but he offered no development and no up-surprises; the opposite of a coherent strategy. The embarrassment of then failing to land a player we had just allowed an option to expire on, gave a shambolic impression. Fortunately, that was not the whole picture.
I watched Argentina-Egypt at the World Cup with disappointment as I was sure Haissem Hassan’s outstanding display would take him beyond our reach. On the game’s highest stage and against the finalists, he stole the show. He is the most direct winger we have had in years (which will not always work for him). Fans of all colours are frustrated when wingers recycle the ball and the attacking team reverts to a horseshoe of doom. You will not seem much of that from Haissem, he will commit defenders more than anyone in Scottish football; watch them double-up on him.
Tactically it might not fit, but a line-up with Hassan on one wing, Jota on the other, with Hogh in front and Duran just off him would be interesting.
The central mid position looks to be where we have been most strategic. Sorensen (24) is the oldest and most experienced recruit. Baur is 22 and still has scope to develop. Joel van den Berg’s exclusion from the European squad indicates his limited game-time thus far. He is 19, away from home for the first time and will learn his trade in the Scottish Premiership.
Kieran Tierney needs a deputy and we need Liam Scales to be playing in central defence, so the addition of loanee Landon Emenalo (18) is certainly required. He’s young and like Joel, needs to be deployed carefully. One of Jordan Lotomba’s main assets is that he can play left back, as well as his more regular right back role. Liam will hopefully be fourth choice left back now and will remain in the middle.
Sam Johnstone (33) collected a runners-up medal with England at the Euros two years ago. After a traumatic season with Wolves, when they were cannon fodder in the EPL, Celtic offer the goalkeeper a chance to reset. It’s not clear if he will replace Viljami Sinisalo, I suspect Martin has an open mind of the subject right now.
Out went our beloved Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate, together, key architects of Celtic’s current five-in-a-row run. They leave having given us lifetime memories and our eternal thanks. Arne Engels brought in £22m. This surprised many, but he is still only 22 and like Mika, has plenty of road ahead. We got £3m for Johnny Kenny (23). I predict he will move gain for double this price. Honourable mention too for Stephen Welsh, especially for that last minute equaliser for 10-man Motherwell on a Wednesday night in February.
A couple of points on transfer business. Sales brought in a reported £46m, while we spent £30m (plus unreported loan fees). These figures do not and should not equate. Total spend over a business cycle should equate to total earnings. A healthy model for clubs like Celtic is to earn from transfers to spend on wages. You do not need to look too far away to learn what happens when clubs our size are net spenders.
Also, we lost the Champions League qualifier, which was a failure on the club. It was not because “we did not sign players before then”, as I heard repeatedly on the radio on my way to the game on Wednesday. Signing players before these games, then signing players after them, is good.
Did we do enough to win the title again? We’ll see. As we discussed above, it is early days, but if feels like the best window we have had since Ange was doing his thing. It is coherent and aligned to a strategy I recognise.
Newco ran us close last season and, like a half-arsed parent over-compensating for a lack of love by buying the kids expensive gadgets, out-spent us. I am not convinced by their work, but money has been deployed and we must recognise the threat.
Hearts are a latent worry. They upgraded their coach and will continue to challenge. Their win at Hibs last night is a portent of how well-prepared they are. More immediately, St Mirren also have a better manager than they had a year ago and host a top-of-the-table clash against Celtic tomorrow. It already feels like a significant game.
786 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- ...
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- ...
- 21
- »
Every picture tells a story I thought the goal was onside
Hassan off, James Forest on.
Dane Murray should be in this team.
Did not look offside.
Buddies are defending well, getting a lot of luck and benefiting from the biased mibs- we need to take our chances in second 45!
Rerun of Duran goal CLEARLY shows the image was frozen at a point before the ball was kicked.
Hassan has caused problems for them. St Mirren, have they had an effort on goal? Just keep the head Celtic and get the job done.
Got work to do in the second. Not to say we have not been working hard in the first, maybe trying to rush the ball into the net at times. We are creating though, but with two players wide only leaves one in centre, albeit it is Duran, maybe need a goal from outside the 18 box…..we can do it.
Hopefully Saints lose some of their intensity if not it is up to us to change our game…..
https://x.com/Zeshankenzo/status/2096322586892197940
On…..
Off side
the problem with Nygren is he scores goals when he is off form – difficult of the coaching staff to replace him with Sorensen who brings more physicality and presence but not the goals. I’m worried about this team! Absolutely ZERO trust win CCV Trusty and Scales and I’m shocked MON wasn’t ruthless in bringing in a powerhouse defender. AND a powerhouse midfielder to protect them.
Hoping MON and Maloney have something in them to turn this around
Scales should feel embarrassed if not ashamed by that penalty. We’ve played well the last twenty minutes of that half – Yang and Hassan just need to improve that final ball.
Another comment on BBC
As a neutral, I’m all for the underdog story, it’ll be great if St Mirren hold on. But that looked very much onside that Duran goal.
They see this as an opportunity to knock us off the top spot in the SPL
and are doing everything they can to make that happen…..
But we’ve got goals in this team and I’m confident we will see one soon enough….
Didn’t somebody mention about the quality of our centre defenders and the lack of strengthening that position but was shot down by others telling him how good we are in defence , Trusty once again as weak as water bullied all over the place and LS at left back don’t get me started, CCV needs to learn how to header the ball with conviction.
They are doubling up on Hassan , yet we are leaving Donovan 1 on 1 with their dangerous winger . We need to come out with real intent from minute one of the second half . The game is still in our hands .
Weebobbycollins on 5th September 2026 8:54 pm
Hassan off, James Forest on.
Dane Murray should be in this team.
————
wbc
Let me know what your smoking!!!
Game you watching lol
how much pish can James McFadden talk ?the boy as boring pundit at best . His analysis on games is very poor .
maestro
Great work there! As I saw it in real time and in 2-3 replays…….
Blatant cheating from the VAR panel……
Clunks…I don’t smoke. Murray should play alongside CCv. I am not a fan of Hassan, I admit.
C’mon the Celts . These feckers can’t rule them all offside .
The off side was guess work from Robertson. He’s picked obscure frame to base his lines on a it’s Easter Road guess work all over again
I’m worried about Donovan being isolated. We cant afford to go two down.
lubo
Said it from the getgo……
He’s got all the personality of a cardboard box…..
Yang has to score
That SFA high level meeting yesterday up in St Andrews seems to be paying off
Free at back post, shoots wide
Big miss from Yang
Weebobbycollins
Hassan with the set up….
Good cross Hassan Yang should have scored
Chance. Hassan fluffs his shot
Celtic Mac…Cardboard boxes can be interesting, McFadden never.
Corner. Come on
Weebobbycollins on 5th September 2026 9:06 pm
~
Clunks…I don’t smoke. Murray should play alongside CCv. I am not a fan of Hassan, I admit.
—
Hassan has set more up in this game than forrest has in 2026…..
Big chance yang
Corner
Yang great tackle
Good play, corner
Baur brushed off the ball too easily
LS!!!!