The Areas That Still Need Strengthening: A Celtic Squad Analysis
- By LIAM McBRIDE
- 27 minutes ago
- 6 min read
The picture is clear now. After an embarrassing defeat to Lask Linz of Austria, Celtic await another Europa League campaign.
On the evidence of Tuesday night, there is still some work to do to be fully prepared for that. So far Celtic have spent £26 million on acquisitions, while taking in around £37 million. So, they sit on a £11 million surplus heading into the final week of the window.
That isn’t to mention the £12 million profit last season, the £9 million the campaign before that, the £8 million the year before that, or even the £15 million prior to that. The list goes on. The point being, you don’t need to churn out a profit every year; sometimes taking care of the product on the pitch will bring you greater benefits in the long term. From a business point of view, it’d make sense to invest in players before the play-off, to ensure that you have the best possible chance of reaching the £40 million jackpot. When will the board catch on?
Celtic Squad Still Needs Strengthening, Even Without Champions League
Apparently not yet, as for the sixth straight time, the Scottish Champions failed to navigate the Champions League qualifiers, largely as a result of being underprepared in the market.
Anyhow, let’s take a look at the squad and figure just what the Champions need for this season.
Goalkeeping
Current Options: Vilijami Sinisalo, Ross Doohan
Since Kasper Schmeichel’s retirement, Vilijami Sinisalo has fitted in seamlessly. The Finn was back up last season, meaning that Ross Doohan has taken his spot on the bench. So, with a shuffle about, Celtic are short, with just two first-team options. Names such as Nick Pope, Leo Cavallius, Dinko Horkas and most recently Balazs Toth have all been mentioned but it seems that the Hoops are still to make any formal offers. With gaping holes present in outfield positions, the need for another goalkeeper has somewhat gone under the radar. Yet, one injury is all it takes for a crisis. Ideally, you’d want a top-quality keeper who can walk straight into the lineup; however, I would settle for a young talent to provide competition for Sinisalo.
Key addition(s): Starting Goalkeeper
Defence
Current Options: Alistair Johnston, Colby Donovan, Anthony Ralston, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales, Dane Murray, Kieran Tierney
Celtic currently sit with Alistair Johnston, Colby Donovan and Anthony Ralston at right-back. Johnston, though, who was set to leave for Everton, will be out till October with a hamstring injury, so reinforcement becomes necessary.
Niko Sigur is the name that has been repeatedly mentioned. The 22-year-old plays both centre of midfield and right-back for Hadjuk Split and is expected to make the next step in his development by moving away from the Croatian league. It seems that Genk are the main rivals for his signature. Respected Polish journalist Lukasz Gikiewicz confirmed yesterday that Niko Sigur will be joining Celtic; only time will tell whether that comes to the surface.
Either way, it will leave Martin O’Neill with four right-back options come the Winter period, but it’s a necessary move for the time being with the lack of quality present on that side. In an ideal world, you’d loan out Donovan to get some first team experience, but that simply isn’t feasible right now, as the Hoops should be doing all they can to ensure they aren’t reliant on Anthony Ralston’s services.
Come January, with Johnston hopefully fit, you would expect any potential suitors to be put off by his injury record in recent seasons. By that point, you could keep Johnston as your first choice and Sigur as backup. Then, Donovan could go out on loan for the rest of the season, with Ralston as third choice.
As I have already mentioned, I also believe that the Bhoys are short at centre-back. With just four first-team options in Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Liam Scales and Dane Murray, they are in a precarious position and at the mercy of a long-term injury. Moreover, with the recent injury record of Carter-Vickers, it’d be negligent to exit the window without more cover. The decision to let Maik Nawrocki go seems more baffling by the day. Anyhow, against best judgment, it doesn’t seem that Celtic are interested in bringing in more depth.
Finally, in terms of left-back, the lack of a Marcelo Sarrachi transfer will always frustrate. It really was the easiest £1 million Celtic could have ever spent.
Nevertheless, with Kieran Tierney the only natural left-back at the club, and one who can rarely play 90 minutes, the need for a backup is urgent. It was reported by Anthony Joseph last week that Landon Emenalo would join on loan, but it seems to have gone rather quiet. Either way, a body must come in; Scales cannot be expected to cover, especially when the Bhoys are already short at centre-back.
Key Additions: Back-up right back, centre-back and left-back
Midfield
Current Options: Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Mika Baur, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Luke McCowan and Reo Hatate.
One thing is clear: Celtic need legs, defensive know-how and physicality. Of all the players, not one is a naturally defensively minded option.
McGregor, Nygren and Baur seem to be the first-choice midfield at the moment, and while they all are technically excellent players, their ability to close space down and offer defensive resistance when they aren’t on top of a game is essentially non-existent. This is a major problem, as it means that the Hoops will come under waves of pressure during any game that they aren’t the better team in.
So, an Arne Engels replacement is categorically the most important piece of business that Celtic can do this window. The league leaders have been interested in Torino’s Gvidas Gineitis throughout the whole window, but according to Sportal, that move was reliant on Champions League qualification. Recent history tells you that Celtic won’t have a contingency plan in place and will look to scramble to find a replacement.
Reo Hatate’s expected departure now looks in jeopardy due to a lack of interest. While the 28-year-old could still play a pivotal role in the midfield should he stay, it wouldn’t solve the underlying issue of a lack of physicality. The Hoops had been linked with Ermin Mahmić last week. Again though, you wonder what damage a lack of Champions League football has done in persuading the Bosnian.
Anyhow, in an ideal world, you’d also be looking for a defensive midfielder. Oxlade-Chamberlain can cover there, but the former England international is more suited to an advanced role. However, unless bodies move out, there is no way Celtic buy two more midfielders.
Either way, whatever happens with the midfield, a physical box-to-box midfielder is necessary. Don’t be surprised though, if there are no more additions, with Sigur playing a utility role.
Key Additions: Starting Box-to-Box Option, Defensive Midfield Cover
Forwards
The forward line is probably the one area that is fine at Celtic. With Kasper Høgh, Camilo Duran, Callum Osmand and Johnny Kenny as striker options, MON should be satisfied.
On the wings, the Bhoys have Yang, Haissem Hassan, James Forrest, Sebastian Tounekti and Michel Ange-Balikwisha all currently available, with Jota soon to return. Not to mention that Duran has aptly filled in on the right-hand side. So, while there could be some debates about the quality of some of those options, unless some move out, there simply isn’t space for another wide player.
There is a caveat in the forward line talk, which is Duran’s positioning. MON has spoken about playing Duran in behind Høgh in the future, which by definition would leave Celtic shorter out wide. However, if Jota keeps up his positive progress, then he would fit right in.
So, while a lot of work needs to be done elsewhere, I don’t believe there is a need to bolster options up front anymore.
Key Additions: Not needed
So, there is your Celtic squad analysis. All in all, that leaves us with a goalkeeper, right-back, centre-back, left-back, defensive midfielder and box-to-box midfielder to sign before the end of the window. I wouldn’t be naïve enough to think that all that business will be done. However, with the major cash reserves in the bank, there really is no excuse for anything less.
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