Paolo Bernardo’s departure pushes the departure number at Celtic into critical. A squad this light cannot possibly survive the season without more recruitment…
There is no way Celtic can survive this season without major recruitment, but there is little or no sign if this happening.
Eric Knott 
GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - JULY 25: Paulo Bernardo of Celtic in action against AC Milan during Celtic v AC Milan in a pre-season friendly at Celtic Park on July 25, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by WM Sport Media/Getty Images)
With each passing day, Celtic fans are beginning to wonder just what the hell is going on at the club?
There is either a grand masterplan here, or this club is headed for total disaster.
Having watched this car crash develop over the last 3 to 4 years, I’m not inclined to have any faith in it being the former.
Paolo Bernardo brings the departure number at our club to 15 in this window so far.
With the likely additions of Arne Engels, Alistair Johnston, Reo Hatate, Michel-Ange Balikwisha and Johnny Kenny, that number could reach or exceed 20.
These are the actions of a distressed corporate entity, one that is enacting a fire sale of its assets in a last ditch attempted to keep the business stumbling along.
Celtic – with the balance it supposedly has in the bank – is acting like we are total paupers.
Without a pot to piss in, as it were.
Why is this?
I understand the need to cut a top heavy wage bill.
That makes sense.
But cost cutting to this extent?
It doesn’t add up.
With the inevitable sales of Alistair Johnston and Arne Engels on the horizon, the last of Celtic’s major assets will have been sold off.
We will land a possible £40 to £45 million on the sales of these players.
15 out, 2 in.
With no sign of any more additions landing any time soon.
If we continue you on this path, our fate is sealed for next season.
Mark my words, and I’m saying this now with complete conviction, Celtic will not win the title next season.
If our squad enters this season as threadbare as it is right now, we are headed for disaster.
Despite the additions of Kasper Høgh and Camilo Duran, we have commenced this season far weaker than we finished last season.
If this was even possible.
It defies belief, yet it is unfolding in real time before our very eyes.
There is more chance of this squad being weakened further before any new arrivals happen at the club.
That is the reality here.
If this is a strategy, it is an utterly self destructive strategy.
If Celtic experiences an extended run of injuries this season, it will be catastrophic.
The squad will be utterly threadbare.
We discussed this in depth last night on the The Trinity Tims podcast.
The episode was aptly named ‘The Broken Record’.
Every one of us feels like a broken record talking about the same issues week in, week out.
Yet we talk, and nothing changes.
We were all in unanimous agreement last night that we will be lucky if we see one major signing in the door before our Champions League qualifier.
Last season, the club flirted with disaster until the 87th minute of our final game against Hearts.
Promises were made that lessons would be learned.
Brian Wilson was brought on to gaslight the fans into the belief that Martin O’Neill would be supported in the transfer window.
Updated, 14 players out still only 2 players in and they are the same position. Engles not included as he’s defo away will need to replace AJ if he goes. Our biggest problem is wings and creativity in midfield. Exactly 2 weeks until the £40 million plus game. Ken pic.twitter.com/ernx3gbFo0
— Ken 🍀 (@Selickpark) August 4, 2026
Yet here we are, just over a fortnight out from our Champions League qualifier with LASK.
2 signings in the door.
15 departures and counting.
Little or no sign of any recruitment incoming.
The manager has shown his hand and stated he will not be here beyond one more year.
Fan patience is dwindling with each passing day.
We’re grandstanding over £257k with Paderborn in an attempt to land Mika Baur on the cheap.
We’re about to lose our two main assets to clubs down south.
I could keep going…
Lessons learned?
Celtic are like that 2 year old you keep telling not annoy the cat.
Eventually the cat will lose patience and scratch the 2 year old badly.
Because 2 year old’s don’t heed warnings.
They have no sense of danger whatsoever.
Neither – it seems – do the people in the Celtic boardroom.
But believe me, danger looms large on the horizon for Celtic.
Sooner or later, all of this is going to come crashing down around their ears.
How that cannot see this is beyond me.
We got away with it last season.
We will not get away with it this time around.
This isn’t a flirtation with disaster.
This is ploughing headlong into it.
Key Takeaways
- Celtic faces a crisis with 15 player departures and only 2 new signings, leading to uncertainty about the club’s future.
- The current strategy appears self-destructive, risking a threadbare squad that may struggle next season.
- If injuries occur, the lack of depth will compound problems, possibly resulting in catastrophic outcomes.
- Fan discontent grows as the board fails to sign crucial players before important matches.
- Celtic’s management seems oblivious to warning signs, risking a disastrous season ahead.
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Bhoycie 
Aodhán Ó Conchobhair 
Phillip Cooney 
There is a grand plan , to run Celtic fc using as little money as possible and make as much as they can and get the fans to swallow their shite , and as far as the Desmond and his offspring are concerned there is no disaster here its business as usual ,they take our money snd we swa6their shite as far as they are concerned that’s the grand plan. Stop giving them your money or you are complicit in the destruction of our club
Watched sevco out of interest the other day don’t be fooled by the draw if they had taken there chances they would have been out of site they have a strong squad and plenty backup, then you look at us two signings this is the norm for every window. Keep shipping out players till we are threadbare this one’s coming that one’s coming the usual utter pish blah blah blah, wait till injuries start happening? Down to the bones, why those two new players came Callum staying for what ? To be the nowhere team as for MON he is just their dangling muppet Why did he return? I think it is proven now the barefaced lies he was told and should walk now to prove a point any professional gambler looking at the betting to win the league sevco look a good bet at roughly 20/19 due to stronger squad
Sevco bigger squad should have won easily other night
Celtic two players in why did they come why did Callum stay
Going down to threadbare squad
What if we get injuries?
Trying hard to bring in players blah blah blah utter shite
Was Mon promised players or is he just their puppet
If no truth in this he should just walk and leave them in the shite
Any professional gambler should look at the price of sevco to win league roughly19/20
Bigger squad should lump on them.
That last comment should have been 20/19
Celtic are under equipped in the size of the squad to compete in all competitions for this season ….. that’s guaranteed ! I’m certain that old blind Lemon Jefferson if he was still of this world would concur with this fact ! Sir Rod Stewart , Chris Sutton , Paul Lambert , ex Celtic FC captain Scott Brown and many other celebrity Celtic fans agree too as do you and I and hundreds of thousands of Celtic fans up and down the country if not millions…all in agreement at this glaringly obvious fact . We all can’t be wrong ! That’s another guarantee ! The ridiculousness part of this saga has long gone ….it’s at the stone bonkers stage from this current board now ! It’s like watching a ‘lost episode ‘of Fawlty Towers as Basil blunders and bungles his way around the place …oblivious to the carnage he creating !