[Official TC Thread] Celtic 25/26 Summer transfer window: Stage: Something Stinks and it's not happylosses' sweaty baws

Balikshwala due for medical
Left back from Boca looks a goer
Breum and/or Stengs for 2nd winger and 3rd winger
Vardy and Ings both agents been in touch.
Offered Miovski (passed)
Expect 2 names to appear out of nowhere.

Inamura, osmand and kenny all to go on loan I feel.

Tilio deal done he is gone.
Welsh should go.
Significant interest in daizen and trusty

 

No


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That seems agent driven. Both his agent and ings have been on the phone trying to drum up interest.

 

I think any permanent signing will have been linked with us by now, we move at a snails pace in getting deals across the line so unless we get Breum in the door along with Balikwisha then every other move will be a loan signing or free agent. Look at last year, McCowan was linked all summer, Engels links broke on 14th August, Trusty on 22nd and it took us until right before the deadline to get them done.

It's an absolute disgrace. This will be Rodgers 5th transfer window of net profit since he returned at a time when we have record cash reserves and the manager begging every window until the last day for signings and quality. Remember all the propaganda the board had put out to their media buddies about the "war chest" that was going to be provided to Rodgers to build on Ange's work? Instead he got a programme of austerity and a mandate for cutting costs.

 

Agree with most of this but a lot of the time, we speak to agents/players and it never breaks in the news for weeks. The only reason we knew about us being interested in Forbs, who moved to Bruges instead, was that Romano said he rejected the chance to come to Scotland(which is realistically only us) amongst other places to sign for Club Bruges. That never broke in the news here, whatsoever.

I do think we will be talking to many agents and there will be deals in place, waiting for them to make the decision on whether or not they come here or not. At least, that's what I'm hoping for. I'm sure it was Engels who said that he first head about our interest in July, we didn't sign him until the final day of the window and as you said, the news broke in mid August about our interest.

Doesn't mean I agree with any of the above, by the way. I think the fact we haven't got deals done has been nothing short of a disgraceful. Especially Balikwisha and the potential deal for Breum.

 

Most deals when it is media are far down the line a think we will get 4 in myself.

 

Theres still not been a right wing linked (apart from Stengs). Do we think there's one lined up or are we going to try and force someone to play out of position

 

If you look at any deadline day deal we have concluded in recent years, its only the loan ones that are sprung on the media.

Permanent deadline day deals we have conlcuded in recent years.

2021 - Giakoumakis - linked 17th August, signed 31st August
2023 - Palma - linked 23rd August - signed 30th August
2024 - Trusty - linked 22nd August - signed 30th August
2024 - McCowan - linked early July - signed 30th August
2024 - Engels - linked 14th August - signed 30th August

We haven't signed a permanent transfer in any season in recent years before the window closed where the link had now been broken by media at this particular point.

I would be 90% certain the only players we will sign on a permanent basis in this window will be Balikwisha and potentially Breum or some other player who has already been associated with us at this point (eg Strelec, Vardy, Munteanu etc). Everything else will be a loan at this stage. I'd be utterly shocked if a new name drops over the next few days and we sign them on a permanent deal before deadline day - its not the way we operate - we are incapable of doing deals that quickly and keeping it under wraps.

The damage in this window was done between mid July to mid August where we made a conscious decision that we weren't interested in targeting or adding any new talent.

 

We have been linked to other players though? If we were to sign Buem or Bischoff etc you could say ‘ they were linked mid July’

 

How much genuine competition has Forrest had at right wing over his career? Paddy Roberts for 2.5 seasons, Abada for 2.5 seasons, Kuhn for 1.5 seasons. That's really it. We have plugged left back for a number of years, we have gone the last 4 seasons with no genuine cover for McGregor.

This is what our board does, we hoard money with gaping holes in our squad not addressed with managers publicly pleading for reinforcements.

 

Oh absolutely. All I'm saying is if we add another new signing on a permanent basis before the window closes, it will be player who has been previously linked during this window.

Personally I think Balikwisha will be the only permanent deal we conclude before the window with an outside chance of Breum or Vardy. I'd be surprised if we get one more than Balikwisha in permanently, I'd be shocked if we get two more. For me it's going to Balikwisha, a LB on loan and possibly another winger or striker on loan.

 

Are you being positive?

Love this change for you.

 

What's mental is usually when it's this quiet you'd think the club are giving nothing away and there's loads getting done in the background.....


But we've been tracking a guy for months and only just getting him over the line, with the whole saga playing out in the media, so * knows

Geez another good link ffs..

 

Respected journalist Stephen McGowan has shared an important update on Celtic’s plans heading into the final week of the summer transfer window.



He believes there is real movement now, with the club looking to finalise key signings before the 1 September deadline. With time running out, a number of deals could still get over the line.



McGowan says Belgian winger Michel Ange‑Balikwisha is close to signing a four‑year deal at Celtic Park. The 24-year-old would add speed and directness to Brendan Rodgers’ forward line. On top of that, the club are also making good progress in their bid to land Uruguayan left‑back Marcelo Saracchi.



He also expects a striker and another wide player to arrive in the coming days. It points to a busy end to the window as Celtic aim to finish their business strong. However, McGowan also questioned why the club has left so much to the final week.

McGowan raised doubts over the thinking behind the delay, especially with Champions League football at stake. The late push may have been avoided had key deals been handled earlier in the summer.

He said: (Press Box hosted by Graham Spiers), “I think Celtic will do business this week. It looks like they’re going to tie up Michel Ange-Balikwisha on a four-year deal.





Uruguayan left-back Marcelo Saracchi also looks like a good chance of happening. I think they’ll probably get a striker and a second winger in.

“That’s certainly the goal and the aim. The big question is, why are they leaving it so late?

“By this time next week, we could be having a very different conversation.

“I just don’t understand why an inherently cautious, conservative board of directors would take such a huge gamble with Champions League qualification, when they could surely have done some of these deals sooner.”

The final week of the transfer window looks like being a big one for Celtic. If Michel Ange‑Balikwisha and Marcelo Saracchi arrive as planned, the timing could prove key, giving Brendan Rodgers extra options.

Adding a striker and another winger would show a clear push to strengthen the squad in key areas.

 

Balikwisha, Stengs (ltb), Vardy, and the Argentine on loan. That's what I reckon we'll end up with.

 

Brendan Rodgers painted a wry smile across his face as the Celtic boss hinted the club were close to finalising some transfer business, writes Michael Gannon from Kazakhstan.


It's believed Michel-Ange Balikwisha is due to arrive in Glasgow this week to rubber-stamp a £4.5million switch from Royal Antwerp.


The Belgian winger, 24, bid farewell to fans after Sunday's 2-1 win over Mechelen and has agreed personal terms with the Hoops.




Celts are also locked in talks with Boca Juniors over a loan deal for left-back Marcelo Saracchi - with negotiations ongoing over a future fee.




Asked by Record Sport for a transfer update, Rodgers smirked as he said: "There might be. I think by the time we get back, hopefully we'll be close to one or two things, yeah."

 

We need a sneaky loan of a quality young player from someone.

Koustoulas from Brighton would be good, only 18 and is he really going to get a game for them.