The Celtic Fans Collective has spoken about the club’s recruitment, supporter pressure and accountability in their latest statement.
Celtic have started putting serious money into the squad after months of supporter pressure over recruitment, ambition and the way the club is run.
He follows Camilo Duran, signed for £3m with the fee potentially rising to £5.5m, and £11m plus add-ons striker Kasper Hogh.
The money is being spent now, and the Collective believes the pressure applied by supporters has played its part in forcing that change.
In a social media statement, they said:
“On paper, Celtic’s new signings look like strong acquisitions. For years, fans have demanded the club show this level of ambition, only to be told it’s not possible for various reasons – from tax laws to TV deals. Recent weeks have demonstrated fans were right all along.
“The sustained pressure and scrutiny from supporters over recent months has clearly had an impact, and the fresh approach to recruitment shows what can be achieved when fans collectively demand more. While there is work to be done, there has been a notable, positive shift.”
That last point is key in their stance. The Collective has never focused solely on Celtic buying players. Recruitment was one of the most obvious symptoms of supporter frustration, but concerns over governance, communication, infrastructure and the matchday experience have all been part of its campaign.
The group made clear that a busier transfer window will not make those issues disappear.
“Recruitment, however, is only one area where improvement is required”, they continued.
“We must continue to push for progress across the Club, including stronger governance, better fan engagement, investment in infrastructure and an improved matchday experience for supporters to enjoy.
“This must signal the start of a culture of accountability at Celtic FC. You can help ensure the ambition of supporters is consistently matched by those in the boardroom, and push for meaningful modernisation across all areas of the Club.”
There could yet be considerably more movement before the window shuts.
Mika Baur has arrived at Lennoxtown and looks set to become Celtic’s latest signing after an agreement was reached with Paderborn. The deal is worth £4.5m initially and could rise to £6.8m through add-ons.
Chelsea prospect Landon Emenalo, 18, has also been at Lennoxtown for talks. The left-back would offer cover for Kieran Tierney if Celtic can get that deal over the line.
Daizen Maeda has departed, while Arne Engels continues to be linked with a big-money move to West Ham. Further fringe departures could bring additional fees into the club.
That makes the final weeks of the window significant. Celtic are spending, but they are also dealing with departures and potential departures which could reshape the squad considerably.
For the Collective, though, the argument is bigger than the transfer balance sheet.
Supporters pushed for Celtic to operate with greater ambition and have now seen a noticeable change in recruitment. The Collective sees that as evidence that sustained pressure can produce results, rather than a reason for that pressure to disappear.
Its demand for “a culture of accountability” remains.
Three signings, with more potentially on the way, represent progress in an area where Celtic badly needed it. They do not answer the wider questions being asked about how the club is run, and the Collective has no intention of allowing a productive spell in the transfer market to provide cover for them.
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