Celtic Transfer Window: Exciting Signings Cannot Hide Another Board Failure

The Celtic transfer window has left me with two completely different emotions. I am excited by several of the players who have arrived. However, I remain furious about how Celtic have once again conducted their business.

Kasper Hogh looks an excellent signing. Camilo Duran has impressed, while Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur appear to have huge potential.

Oliver Sørensen and Joel van den Berg are exciting midfield additions. Young Chelsea forward Shim Mheuka also caught my eye immediately against Aberdeen.

Jordan Lotomba, Sam Johnstone and Landon Emenalo have added further depth.

There is plenty to like.

Celtic transfer window has brought genuine quality

This is not criticism of the players. Far from it.

My problem is that several should have been Celtic players weeks ago.

Celtic completed six signings in little more than 24 hours before the UEFA registration deadline. Four of those six arrived on loan.

Why did it require another last-minute scramble?

The financial figures make that question even more relevant.

Reported permanent fees for Hogh, Duran, Hassan, Baur and van den Berg come to approximately £36.3million.

Meanwhile, reported fees for Arne Engels, Daizen Maeda, Luis Palma, Reo Hatate and Johnny Kenny total approximately £45million.

On those headline reported figures, Celtic have actually generated around £8.7million more in transfer sales than they have committed to permanent incoming fees.

That figure is not an audited net spend because some fees, add-ons and loan costs remain undisclosed. Nevertheless, it demonstrates that Celtic were hardly operating without resources.

Celtic transfer window strategy must change

That is what makes the timing so infuriating.

Players signed in June or July receive a proper pre-season. They learn Martin O’Neill’s system. They build relationships with teammates. They improve their fitness and settle into Glasgow.

Most importantly, Celtic can enter crucial European qualifiers with their strongest squad.

Instead, Celtic reached the Champions League play-off without their rebuild completed.

They then went 4-0 ahead on aggregate against LASK before suffering an extraordinary collapse in Austria and dropping into the Europa League.

Only afterwards did the recruitment accelerate dramatically.

I like this group of new players. Some could become outstanding Celtic signings.

But good signings made late do not make a flawed strategy good.

Celtic have the money. They have the support. They have the infrastructure.

There is simply no acceptable reason for continually treating the final hours of the window like the beginning of it.

This has been happening for years.

Will the Celtic board ever learn?

Key Takeaways

Celtic have recruited several genuinely exciting players.

Reported permanent transfer business currently leaves Celtic around £8.7m ahead on the major disclosed fees.

Six players arrived in little more than 24 hours before the UEFA deadline.

Four of those six were loans.

Celtic’s biggest failure remains timing rather than a complete lack of recruitment.

Earlier business could have given Martin O’Neill a stronger, settled squad for the Champions League qualifiers.