Gannon states Celtic boss Martin O’Neill boss ran out of his post-match media conference to tie up Gineitis deal…
Six in, four loans, one fee undisclosed, and £3.5 million the biggest outlay. Just another typical end to a typical Celtic transfer window, and almost £20 million in profit made.
Eric Knott 
STADIO GRANDE TORINO, TORINO, ITALY - 2026/09/01: Gvidas Gineitis of Torino Fc looks on during the Coppa Italia Round of 16 match between Torino FC and Ac Monza. Ac Monza wins 1-0 over Torino Fc. (Photo by Marco Canoniero/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Last night, Michael Gannon of the Record said that Celtic boss Martin O’Neill had cut his post-match media conference short to rush out the door and get more signings in.
The strange thing about Gannon’s piece was that he said O’Neill was trying to finalise both the Jordan Lotomba and Gvidas Gineitis deals.
He said this when confirmation was already through that the Gineitis deal had collapsed.
Why would Gannon say that?
Needless to say, today is deadline day, and Gineitis is not a Celtic player.
Unless Martin O’Neill can perform miracles, he won’t be either.
So why did Michael Gannon state this?
Was the deal dead or not at that point?
Well, if it wasn’t then, it certainly is now because even if Celtic did manage to sign Gineitis today, it’s too late.
He’s ineligible to play in the Europa League.
So, I’m pretty sure we can forget that one.
Just for posterity, here’s what Gannon had to say:
Martin O’Neill RACED out of his Aberdeen post-match press conference in a bid to complete MORE transfer deals on a wild European deadline day.
The Celtic boss landed Chelsea duo Shim Mhueka and Landon Emenalo and keeper Sam Johnstone all on loan for the season plus midfield prospect Joel van den Berg on a £3.4m move from PSV.
But O’Neill legged it out of his press briefing as he faced a race against the clock to complete deals for Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitas and Feyenoord full back Jordan Lotomba.
Jordan Lotomba, on the other hand, is confirmed, with the 28 year old signing on for a one year deal.
UPDATE: Celtic are close to agreeing a deal to sign Feyenoord right-back Jordan Lotomba.
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) September 2, 2026
It’s understood the Switzerland international, 28, has been given permission to travel to the UK to complete a medical, while the clubs iron out the final details on a permanent transfer.… https://t.co/Zvoq0qsIrn
No fee has been mentioned as yet.
I can only assume that this was a mistake on Gannon’s behalf, and that he didn’t mean to include Gvidas Gineitis in his reporting?
Martin O’Neill spoke like he was delighted with the business conducted by Celtic in the last couple of days.
Which is contrary to the reports that he was pretty angry over the failure to secure Gvidas Gineitis.
While we got the late night announcement on the Celtic website about Jordan Lotomba and Joel van den Berg, there was nothing about Gineitis.
🏴 Middenvelder Joël van den Berg vervolgt zijn carrière in Schotland. Hij heeft PSV verruild voor Celtic. Welkom bij FC De Avonturiers, Joël! 🤝 pic.twitter.com/T4HpGcIZnB
— FC De Avonturiers (@FCDeAvonturiers) September 3, 2026
So, on that basis, you can assume that the deal is well and truly dead in the water.
In reality, this was a typical end to a typical Celtic transfer window.
With only £3.4 million pounds actually spent in the closing stages of the window, and around £10 million raked in on the sales of Reo Hatate and Johnny Kenny, there must be an awful lot of self-congratulating going on in the Celtic boardroom.
They have managed to turn close to a £20 million profit in this transfer window.
In addition, and at the end of it all, 21 players have left the club.
That includes the conclusion of loan deals as well as players we have loaned out ourselves.
How successful this window turns out to be?
Only time will tell us that.
But the collapse of the Gineitis deal, along with the farcical messing around with Crystal Palace and Justin Devenny, typifies the behaviour of the board.
In the end, like a casino, the house always wins.
The Celtic board have once again proven that they will never exit a transfer window in a deficit.
Because if that happened, it would signal the end, wouldn’t it?
Celtic would go the same way as the dead club over the Ibrox way.
We would be headed for bankruptcy and liquidation.
So kudos to the Celtic board for once again saving our club from an ignominious end.
It’s always about the money at Celtic.
Where every pound is a prisoner, and profit is the Prince.
Aren’t we just blessed?
We’ll never die under these guys.
Amazing.
Key Takeaways
- Michael Gannon reported that Martin O’Neill rushed to secure two signings, but Gineitis’s deal had already collapsed.
- Deadline day confirms that Gineitis will not join Celtic, and any late signing is too late for the Europa League.
- Jordan Lotomba has officially signed a one-year deal with Celtic, though no fee was disclosed.
- O’Neill appeared pleased with recent transfers, despite frustration over missing out on Gineitis.
- Celtic profited nearly £20 million this transfer window, spending only £3.4 million while selling players like Hatate and Kenny.
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Well that is utter bull as he never ran out for Gineitis, Celtic apparently never even bid for him but it was suggested by some Italian so called twitter press.
As per if you see someone post it, its 100% truth.
What a shower. The same old incompetence every time. No ambition or accountability, sooner they’re all away the better.
We sit here after every transfer window believing the rumours put out by the Desmond and his malignant cabal of corporate greed and austerity, time to wake up things will not change unless we as fans keep up the pressure by supporting not another penny we can make inroads into this odious Desmond and his offspring. Stop giving them your money or you are complicit in the destruction of our club
Call me a cynic all you want but I smell a fuckin rhat of a two legged variety,whose natural habitat is the Celtic boardroom !
No coincidence that the flood of last minute signings are arranged in indecent haste and we get all of the business done except……..THE ONE WHICH WOULD MEAN PAYING OUT AROUND £8-10m !!!
They can shove their Europa League package so far up their arse they’ll be able to brush it while they do their teeth at the same time.
Not gonna say I’m surprised/shocked at the news.
Anyone who knows ANYTHING about these bastards running the show would be astounded if the deal had gone through for the Torino player.
Dis fuckin gusted !!!!!
Ps,why don’t the Celtic Collective call for a boycott of the Glasgow derby on the 20th of this month,which would bring headlines to all media outlets around the planet ?
Because the Celtic fanbase would NEVER give that game up to show our displeasure.
We deserve these cunts in the boardroom cos we pussyfoot around with meaningless protests that fizzle out.
I was surrounded by assholes eating and drinking the rancid pies and bovril last night.
Don’t these tossers know there are other places to eat prior to any game at Celtic Park ???
Could be worse, -£20m balance in a single transfer window with no European football, expect a euro FFP review in the coming years 🤔 😉
We need an oven ready left back Eric,TODAY.We have an injured teenager from Chelsea to cover for KT
,between now and New Years day.Get it done ffs Celtic.Theres a full working day.
We knew what was coming . More sales and incomings straight from supermarket sweep . Can’t wait till next summer when we can punt nygren and Duran . I heard Tony watt on radio last night saying celtic had a good window and likes the boards way of doing transfer business. They just don’t get it
Well this must be the ultimate piss take on fans by this shocking board. If fans don’t act now and don’t but Europa League tickets and really consider not renewing season books next year there is no hope for us. This is simply a profit making machine now, not a football club
All the banners and NAP last season fid absolutely no good
Gannon’s punishment for his inept and incompetent storytelling should be to be sent to the daily Star Scotland for a month -The daily Record’s sister paper . A rag publication were the emphasis is on ‘mind numbingly bad journalism ‘ which suits Gannon down to his toes ! It’s tens of readers would be salivating at big Mick guessing the here and now of Scottish football on a daily basis ? A tabloid which had as it’s front page headline not too long ago : ‘ Aliens ate my homework !’ Yes big Mick would be right at home there ?