Have Celtic already damaged their chances of landing Gvidas Gineitis?

Celtic’s Gineitis pursuit has taken a fresh twist, and the reported asking price is only half the story.

According to TuttoMercatoWeb’s latest report, Torino could consider €8–10 million for Gvidas Gineitis in January. However, the Italian outlet also suggests Celtic’s unsuccessful summer approach left the midfielder feeling “slightly burned”, translated from its Italian report.

That is the detail that bothers me.

We can argue about valuations all day. But if a player begins questioning whether Celtic actually want him, the cost of a failed negotiation becomes harder to measure.

Celtic’s Gineitis pursuit needs more than money

TMW reports that Torino rejected two summer offers. It also claims Martin O’Neill wanted the midfielder, but Celtic failed to bridge the financial gap.

The report’s assessment, translated from Italian, is blunt: “it seemed that the club did not really want him”.

Those are the outlet’s words, rather than a direct statement from Gineitis. Nevertheless, they raise a fair question about the impression our approach leaves.

A transfer involves convincing someone to trust your plans for his career. Enthusiasm from the manager helps, but the club’s actions need to support that message.

Otherwise, why should the player believe the next approach will be different?

January cannot become another waiting game

As Read Celtic’s examination of Anthony Joseph’s recruitment comments highlighted, supporters already have concerns about how we identify and secure midfield targets.

This latest report adds another issue: whether an unsuccessful pursuit makes a future deal more difficult.

Of course, Celtic should negotiate. No responsible club simply pays whatever another side demands. Equally, we cannot assume every delay represents clever business.

Sometimes an opportunity passes. Sometimes the player moves on.

That is why our wider questions about Celtic’s long-term planning matter here. Recruitment needs clear priorities, realistic budgets and decisions made in time to help the team.

Have Celtic left themselves another problem?

There is no confirmed January bid, agreement or rejection from Gineitis. This remains a reported possibility.

However, if Celtic still want him, they should establish whether the interest is mutual before allowing another window to drift.

I want us to pursue players with conviction and give the manager a squad built around a clear plan.

Because January spending cannot recover the months already lost.

And if Gineitis now needs convincing all over again, Celtic may discover that the asking price was never the only price of waiting.