Celtic's 2025/26 Summer transfer window: Stage: Shelby hovering over the Panic button

I’m not saying we shouldn’t try and better ourselves each year here. The original point I was making about the Bayern game, is that we came very close to beating them over two legs. In the space of 5 months, we haven’t really lost loads from the team. Jota being injured is a sore one, but we’ve replaced Schlupp with Tierney. Kuhn being the other who hasn’t been replaced yet. The way some are going on though, you’d think we need to rip it up and start again. That’s not the case. We aren’t far away, as we saw again yesterday.

 

Well we take roughly 2 weeks per deal and we can only do one at a time. 42 days left in the window I think, so hopefully at least 3 in...

Unless they've got their Summer hols booked.

 

Wouldn’t be so sure


Still got another few outgoings after Luis and Marco

 

On the topic of selling before buying.

Given the majority of players now going out will be lower value and our highest priority incomings are bigger fees (he said hopefully)

Aren't we better panic selling than panic buying?
Surely we would be net, better off?
and more importantly recruit the players we really wanted?

 

I get that.

It's not just Kuhn that needs replaced. We haven't replace Schlupp. Tierney replaced Taylor.

We need to better what we have. All clubs are doing it apart from...

 

Do we give Inamura until January as our back up left back now? Has his pre season form warranted that? I fully appreciate it's a massive gamble.

For me we need 2 starting quality wingers for each side of the pitch. We should be willing to spend up to £10m each if we need to on the best possible player available to us here. That's the most important area on the pitch that needs addressing. We look to be targeting another striker now but if we have Maeda, Idah and Yamada I would see this more as a welcome addition than a necessity. LW and RW the most pressing areas.

In midfield I would like a proper 6 in there. Nygren has been impressive and it looks like Rodgers will use him centrally so I'm happy enough with the options bar the holding/pivot player. McGregor does a job in that role but for me he's a box to box goalscoring midfielder and we don't have a natural 6 in the squad - either someone who breaks up the play in that position, or someone who starts the play from that position or ideally can do both.

Defence I firmly believe we need another centre half. Scales and Trusty are actually both going really well in pre season, as is Murray but all 3 have serious questions marks over them. Again this is an area we should be willing to spend big on, get in a CCV level centre half option that we are willing to spend about £8m on. CCV has his injury issues so its needed, I'd target a right footer here who can is comfortable on the left side. Scales and Trusty pre season form so far has been good so I think they have earned until January to prove themselves. Happy with AJ and Ralston as our 1st and 2nd choice right backs. It's a gamble going with Inamura as our backup left back but I think he has earned a shot until January.

Obviously any outgoing is needed to be adequately replaced with a player of that level eg a Hatate, Maeda, AJ etc.

It should be very deliverable for this board to give us a very good window but it has been for years and they always fall short. Hopefully they will prove me wrong but I'd be shocked.

 

Good post mate. And very much how I feel about things too.
And BTW welcome to the Board.

 

From the starting lineup that night Tierney has replaced Schlupp. That’s what I was getting at. Kuhn needs replaced definitely. Jota injured is a sore one to take. But in terms of the players still at the club, from the starting eleven that night, we are weaker right wing, but stronger at left back in my opinion.

 

Good result yesterday, but I am starting to get a bit anxious at the lack of movement.

Nowhere near panic stations yet for me, but if it's the exact same next week I would be annoyed.

LW, RW and CB are all needed at bare minimum. I wouldn't mind holding off on LB and giving Inamura a chance, but the rest need done.

 

Wary of reading too much into pre-season games.

I dont think il ever be convinced of scales being starting quality at this point. Im unsure on trusty despite a strong display yesterday.

Think we still need a centre back. But worried a good pre season might lull us into persisting with scales and trusty.

Wing we definatey need reinforcements but i think the club knows that and will bring in additions.

 

I don't think anybody is convinced of Scales as a starting quality centre but I do think he does us as a 3rd/4th choice centre half. He has performed for us in big games and been found out in others but the calibre of player who will be willing to not be a regular starter for Celtic, particularly in a position like CB where if the starting pair remain fit, options can be limited, will not be very high. Scales is professional, his fitness levels and availability are good and he's not out of his depth here. He's shouldn't be first choice though but I think he has his place currently on merit because the other options have failed to take their chance when presented.

Trusty is a different issue, he was magnificent against Bayern over those two legs but he's had some absolutely horrific displays. His peak is above what Scales is, IMO but there are doubts over his consistency and focus and Scales hasn't had the car crash level games Trusty has had. For me Trusty is similar to Starfelt, when he's good he's very good and when he's bad he's car crash. The cup final against Hibs and season opener against Hearts still ring in my head over Starfelt. There's big question marks over them which is why we definitely need a centre half to come in, aided by the fact that CCV's body can't really be relied upon with confidence.

If Trusty can show more consistency then he is a decent option but if he can't then its time to move him on. I think he deserves untiil January and Scales at the very least is a dependable backup option.

I do get what you mean in their pre season form being a false reader for them but I think both are peforming very well and we should retain them until January and review their futures then. However that is no reason to say we should not be going out and buying another first team quality centre half. Murray and CCV are injury prone (CCV currently injured) so we will need 5 centre backs on our books I feel.

Of the links I think the Serb or the French lad we were linked with are good options, the French lad looks the real deal but sadly I don't think there is much to that link, seems to be one of those where Celtic are lumped in with a load of other clubs about a player on the market. The Serb definitely looks like a player with great potential and if he's available for £5-6m we should be all over it. The Dutch lad for me doesn't look like much of an upgrade on Scales or Trusty and would be a dissapointing level to be targeting if we want to improve the team. I think those two look to be more solid sources.

We've done well shifting the deadwood on so far, Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, Tilio, Palma all more or less out the door, Kwon will probably be soon as well so now its time to get to work and get these players in quickly.

 

Brendan said we will 100% sign one CB this summer.

 

Has there been anymore on Welsh? Either the extent of his injury or his move? He seemed to have a move all lined up before that injury. Fingers crossed it’s not been Scuppered.

Its wingers are the absolute main priority for me. We badly need some more fire power in the team. Yang had a good game yesterday and Kenny has done fine in preseason but I wouldn’t be convinced of either as starters.

 

We have not even replaced Kuhn which is a worry. Two wingers & a CB should be our absolute priority. And the lack of noise or rumours is a real concern.

 

Bacacin seems a smart piece of business to develop and provide cover for a McGregor rodgers doesn't seem interested in rotating/resting. Nygren appears to be competing for one of the 2 8 spots with Engels hatate mccowan and Bernardo. Inamura should be given back up lb, leaves CB where I feel ccv should be first choice with scales 3rd and Murray 4th. That leaves trusty who should either be given a genuine shot or moved on and a ready replacement signed. Think after Saturday he prob will get a decent run now. Biggest work needed at RW, where immediate quality is required.

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We're so close to having a really good squad, if Trusty and Scales can both keep their levels up I'm happy with LCB, one to challenge CCV and we're cooking. Full backs are sorted, as is GK.

Midfield it looks like the young DM is coming in, tempted to say we're good there too although I'm no confident everyone stays this window (looking at you Reo). Really hope we can hold on to him. Engels and Bernardo are good depth but want to see more from them.

Up front we're gonna need to get behind Idah, it's just too high a financial outlay to just give up on him at this point. He's got the talent he just needs to put the work in and dare I say it...grow the * up. Between Yamada, Kenny and Osmand we're well stocked with support options. And obviously Daizen if we add another LW till Jota is back.

RW we need to replace Kühn, no two ways about it. Left side of KT and Daizen is unreal strength, we need to try get similar down the right. Forrest and Yang are both excellent options but as support options, both can play left or right wing so ideal.

So am looking for:

1 RCB
1 DM
1 RW

As priority. Any on top of that happy days.

 

Seems like we’ve gone back down the project route which is a pity.
For all the noise about last years transfers we reached the knockout stage of the CL for the first time since 2012, albeit a bit easier then the traditional route but you could argue that’s even more of a reason to invest.
Our 3 big signings last summer whether you are convinced or not over them, nobody can deny they all played a big part in getting us there.
Very frustrating as for me before the window opened with Tierney coming back we were a CB, DM and winger from going to the next level.
Don’t get me wrong some of these projects could go on to be great Celtic players. I just feel this summer isn’t the summer and if Rodgers is to go next season even more reason to spend this year as next year will be difficult enough replacing him never mind transfers then.

 

Think two wingers are priority. I'd like to see Maeda through the middle for decent spells in the season, sometimes domestically when teams play deep against us he's not able to run behind on the wings and he doesn't have the trickery or end product to be effective there and I think he's far better used through the middle in these games. So two wingers are by far and away the most important area for us to strengthen. Both need to be starting quality.

We only have two out and out wingers fit in the squad right now in Forrest and Yang and Forrest is 34 and injury prone while Yang has talent but shown himself to be very inconsistent.

I'd put the targets in order of priority

Needed:
1. RW
2. LW
3. CB

Desired:
1. CDM
2. CF

It's not something to be addressed in this window but I feel we should be targeting Schmeichel's long term replacement to have in the door by January. It is a risk in going with a soon to be 40 year old keeper as your no 1. He was excellent last season but we saw the cup final. At that age the decline can be overnight so we need to be prepared.

 

Was all for keeping Daizen central as our main striker but don't think it's happening, not with the arrival of Yamada. Him and Idah are our two main strikers by the looks of it.

So Daizen main LW with Jota to come back you have two top wingers there. That does make the Balikwisha link a bit confusing so I'm no 100% on all this, just saying how it looks to me.

You're way off with the GK thing imo. Sinisalo is the long term replacement for Kasper, don't think that's even up for debate. The boy has shown more than enough to have our confidence.