Celtic Need To Stop Messing Around – If Tóth Is The Man, Go And Get Him

At some point, Celtic need to stop turning transfer negotiations into an endurance event.

The clock is ticking. Deadlines loom.

The latest reports surrounding Balázs Tóth feel depressingly familiar. Celtic reportedly want the Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper, have now made a £2.5million offer, and Blackburn have rejected it with their valuation believed to be closer to £4million.

So here’s a revolutionary idea I have had, if Celtic genuinely believe Tóth is the goalkeeper they want, go and get him.

We’re not talking about a £15million valuation with Celtic trying to negotiate it down to £8million.

We’re reportedly talking about a gap of roughly £1.5million.

Negotiating is part of football. Nobody expects Celtic to blindly hand over whatever figure a selling club demands.

I am sick of saying this over and over again.

There’s negotiating, and then there’s risking another target over a relatively modest difference.

We’ve seen this movie too many times.

Celtic identify a player. Talks drag on. Offers go backwards and forwards. Supporters spend weeks wondering why something that initially appeared straightforward has become another saga.

Meanwhile, the clock keeps ticking.

Martin O’Neill has already made it clear he wants another goalkeeper. If Tóth is the man Celtic’s recruitment team have identified to provide genuine competition for Viljami Sinisalo, then back your judgement.

Tóth is a Hungarian international, has experience of British football and appears to be available. Reports even suggest the goalkeeper himself wants his future resolved.

This isn’t the time for another transfer-market game of chicken.

Especially after Celtic’s Champions League elimination has already demonstrated the cost of going into important matches with unfinished business in the squad.

I believe our goalkeeper should NOT of been beaten as many times as he was from outside the area.

Would Tóth of made the difference?

We will never know, as a department that needed strengthened all summer didn’t get strengthened in time for the Champions League qualifiers.

Nobody is asking Celtic to be reckless.

We’re asking them to be decisive.

If £4million is considered too much, walk away and immediately sign somebody else.

But if Celtic believe Balázs Tóth is worth pursuing, stop messing around over the final million or so and get the deal done.

Sometimes the bigger gamble isn’t paying slightly more.

It’s losing the player you wanted in the first place.

Keep Your Eyes On The Board.