Celtic’s Abandoned £25 Million Transfer Plan Tells Us Everything We Need To Know About January

Sky Sports journalist Anthony Joseph has lifted the lid on Celtic’s summer transfer business, revealing the extent to which the club abandoned its recruitment plans following our Champions League exit against LASK.

I said on The Bhoycie Bus two months ago that this was exactly what had happened.

That’s not me trying to be a smartarse. It was painfully obvious.

Speaking on Celtic Fans TV, Joseph revealed that Celtic had planned to spend around another £25 million had they qualified for the Champions League.

Gvidas Gineitis, Ermin Mahmić, Adrian Blake and Balázs Tóth were among the players Celtic had identified.

Instead, following our European collapse in Austria, the club turned predominantly to loans and free transfers.

Joseph also revealed that an agent recommended Oliver Sørensen to Celtic as a means of filling a gap in midfield after the club failed to land its preferred targets.

Quite frankly, it’s an absolute disgrace.

When Celtic Fail, Everyone Else Gets Punished

I’m not entirely sure why this information is coming out now or how it benefits Celtic supporters, although I suppose the more we know about how our club operates, the better.

What angers me most is that whenever Celtic fail, the supporters get punished.

When Celtic fail in the Champions League, the management team gets punished, the playing squad gets punished and the product on the park suffers.

Meanwhile, those responsible for overseeing that failure remain in their positions.

It’s completely unacceptable.

Why Would Celtic Suddenly Change Their Transfer Plans?

Furthermore, I think it’s fantasy land to suggest Celtic will suddenly attack the January transfer window and pursue the deals they deliberately walked away from at the end of August and beginning of September.

What has fundamentally changed?

We’re competing in the same competitions we knew we would be participating in when the summer window closed.

In fact, our prospects of enjoying a prolonged run in the Europa League look far, far worse now than they did before a ball had been kicked.

Why, therefore, would Celtic suddenly reverse their decision?

Expect loans, expect free transfers and don’t be shocked when some of those temporary summer arrivals, particularly Chelsea youngsters Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo, head in the opposite direction.

The most damning aspect of Joseph’s revelations is that Celtic had identified players to strengthen the squad and then made a conscious decision not to pursue those deals.

Now, we’re to believe the same people will ride to the rescue in January.

On what evidence?

Forgive me for not getting excited.