Kristijan Lovric

I don't like Dembele or Johnstone for back up at all. They won't make us any better and are a big downgrade on what we have. We need to strengthen, and that includes at depth, not just starting positions.

 

I don’t like them either but they would be there to play against smaller teams to give the other 4 a break. Having Abada, Forrest, Christie and Kyogo as wingers with Johnstone and Dembele coming in for maybe 10 games each a season seems ok. Unless we manage to shift on Ajeti and Eddy for some decent cash, I can’t see us spending £7m on a striker and then another £4m on a winger.

You would literally be talking about £24m spent on players before we even get to a right back, centre back and left back.

 

I get what you’re saying, but it seems to me that we’re only ever an injury or two away from a crisis.

For example, if we didn’t sign a left winger and Christie got injured, would you be happy seeing Johnston or Dembele (or Forrest who is ineffective on the left) being thrown in at Ibrox or Pittodrie or Easter Road? I certainly wouldn’t. Similarly, if Turnbull or McGregor got injured and Christie had to play centre mid, it would be the same issue in terms of not having depth elsewhere.

We need first team quality options in case of drops in form, injuries, suspension, rotation etc, as well as just giving Ange proper options off the bench.

We all knew we needed major investment this summer, but Ajer and (hopefully) Edouard’s sales offset that - not to mention the lack of investment from Frimpong’s sale in January - and the prospect of automatic champions league qualification (and the money that goes with it) if we win the league should make it investment worth making.

 

Totally agree with what you’re saying with regards to bringing first team quality in. You’ll get no doubt from me on that front.

I think the board and the club will be telling Ange that he needs to try get the best out of the youth. Truth be told, even though we needed a defensive midfielder, I was surprised we actually brought one in. I was convinced they would want to use Shaw and Soro rotationally. Bringing in McCarthy was an absolute bonus for me.

I’m just saying I can’t see it happening. I would love to be proven wrong but I just can’t see us spending £11m on two players when I think the board will be telling him that 4 first team wingers is enough with 2 youth to help when needed. I do think they will get another striker in, I just thought Nisbett would have been a stick on and I would have gladly taken him for £3.5m+Griffiths.

This Henry boy looks a top player, I’m just surprised we seem to be spending quite a large portion of our budget on another striker when I thought it seemed clear Kyogo was to be the Eddie replacement. I think we could get someone cheaper.

it’s hard to tell right now, I’m just surprised we are going for this french boy and I think it rules out the winger coming in.

 

I doubt it is £7m we have bid for Henry, as was posted above local Belgian press are reporting €6m, which is a little over £5m.

Some of our other deals too, Kyogo about £4.5m and Starfelt £4m as established players will be about right but Abada at £3.5m apparently has add ons included.Hart £1m. The young boys from Sheffield Wednesday was less than £0.5m between them plus we’ve lost a few in similar circumstances which cover any of that. So spent about £13m.

On the opposite end we’ve sold Bayo, Shved, and Hendry for about £4m, Ajer for £13.5m plus due potential add ons so brought in £17.5m.

If we sell Edouard for the money discussed and even after PSG cut are left with £15mish.

Then spending £6m (Henry) on a striker £4m on a winger (Lovric), £3m on RB (not sure who), I have a feeling Scales is going to be the left back so only £0.5m and a loan at CB or either that Scales is seen as CB and we loan someone for LB or target a cheaper deal.

Your still only spending below the Eddy money and are still £5.5m over in terms of sales vs players in.

If we are to get a more expensive left back, I think we will have to find a buyer for Boli. Also in the above scenario Christie stays where as he may still be sold for a few £m. They will also be trying to punt Barkas and Ajeti for either a loan fee or sale.

 

Aye I make we have spent the Ajer money already. Kyogo, Starfelt and Abada were roughly £12.5m and Hart was £1m.

I’d love to be proven wrong mate, would love to see both Lovric and Henry come in. I just can’t see it. In my opinion, we are one right back, a left back and a centre back away from being in really good shape with our starting 11 and selected positions as cover. I’d still like to cover right back, LW and striker.

 

Yeah, I was pleasantly surprised with the McCarthy signing too especially with how much Soro seems to have been plugged on the club’s social media channels.

I know what you’re saying and I’d be surprised if we investing what’s required in the first team squad too. That said, I disagree with your comment that we have 4 first team wingers, plus two youths, simply because I don’t think Christie and Kyogo can be viewed primarily as wingers (at the time being at least). I think having those two as cover is great, but only if we have a recognised first choice in that position. I also think Ange will rotate a lot in order to keep competition and energy levels high (to suit his fast paced, high press style) so he needs a proper squad.

Thomas Henry definitely looks like he’d be a great addition and one to be excited about.

All that said, I completely agree with the base of your argument that two fullbacks (and a centre back) should be our absolute top priority right now in terms of making our strongest 11 as strong as possible.

It will be an interesting last few weeks of the transfer window, for sure, and I feel we’ll have a far better idea of what to expect from McKay and Ange once we see what further business they do.

 

I absolutely believe they should be a priority but we definitely need to be looking for a striker to replace Eddy and I do think we need another left winger. I definitely do. I don’t rate Johnstone and that’s nothing to do with his injuries. We need better and playing Forrest or Abada on the left doesn’t work for me either, it’s cover, like you say. Kyogo was primarily played as a left winger for Vissel Kobe before they moved him to a striker this season. I think they will see him as a left winger at the moment.

I agree, it’s been a good window so far but we need that last push to get some more players in the door. We’ve done well but we need to get the wing backs sorted soon. I’ll be very confident going into the league season with a new right back and a new left back in the squad.

Think we all agree that Ange and Dom have done ok so far, they just need to do a little bit more before window shuts but I’m feeling strangely confident these deals will get done.

 

Completely agree.

It’s a strange feeling as a Celtic fan to have confidence that deals will actually get done, but here’s hoping

 

Henry
Lovric
Juranovic
Gudmondssen
Davies

Get them boys in and erect a statue of Dom and Ange at the front door of Celtic park.

 

I found myself wondering if it was wise to buy both Henry and Lovric.

Would it be wise to be splashing this amount of £££. It will force a good player in Christie/Forrest onto the bench or potentially Kyogo.


Took a step back and realised that I’ve paid over a grand this past year and a half and have seen 1 game of football. The * still have the cheek to charge us £19 for Jabroni, which is also the first game back with a full house. No “Welcome back” courtesy. They are/have been robbing crook *, for many years. It makes no difference to the fans how much doe we have stowed away. We are a football team, success of this team is priority. * the bank balance, our player sales will cover these additions. And, * the hurt feelings of the players who find themselves on the bench.


We need to win this year!

 

Agree with you I do have that lingering doubt myself and history tells us not to be optimistic. However in the 19/20 season we did actually invest most of the Tierney money across two windows the problem was we signed some amount of rubbish with at least half of it. That is probably the closest we have been to the size of squad turnover we have now.

Hopefully we can do the same again this time around as our current defence still gives me the fear but adding a good striker and Lovric to our current fire power would give us a right good forward line.

 

I’m absolutely not worried about the financial side of the club. I know we are fine and although he’s a *, there’s no chance Desmond lets us go bust. Not a hope in *.

All I meant was I struggle to see the board sanctioning that sort of spend on 2 attacking players when we have already spent nearly £8m on two players in that exact area.

Do we need both Lovric and Henry? In my opinion, we do. Do I think the board will sanction both signing for £12m? I really don’t think they will, not when they need another 3 players at the back.

 

I know what your saying but I honestly think 2 out of the 3 still needed at the back will be either loans or loans to buy love them or hate them they are a big part of football and can save you a big outlay upfront as long as they are good enough to make a difference unlike some of our previous loans

 

We really need another striker in , some1 good in the air , but we need better at the back , more height there too and stronger , watching them get handed thier arses i noted the amount of balls going into the box from dangerous crosses both sides , from anywhere over the halfway line , if we don't stop that with pressing them for 95 mins we will fail .would love our defense to be able to clear balls into the box .

 

See Lovric has been liking stuff on the official Celtic Instagram account again. Anyone think this may depend on guaranteeing Euro Group stage football and he might come in?

As much as we need defenders and I am keen we get them, I just get that feeling with this boy he would be dynamite playing in our new system off the left of a front three.

 

Win the league and we get automatic CL group stage qualification. That basically means winning the SPFL is worth €40m.

If we bring in two full backs + Henry/Lovric we will win the league.

Not only that, but we need a team that will settle in this year and do us proud next season in Europe.

It seems like a no brainer. Also us pocketing €40m and the huns missing out could create a financial chasm that they might not be able to close for half a decade.

 

One notable thing about Lovrić is that he is tall for a winger. Perhaps he would be converted into a striker, assuming we do buy him. A backup if Henry doesn't sign.