Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy’s first transfer window is one the club must get right. It can be difficult to lure players away from clubs in January, but the Hoops are currently in the thick of a title race and desperately need quality to kick on and retain their title.
A change in system was immediate, but it’s taken time for these players to respond. The win over Aberdeen was the first under Nancy’s tenure, and it’s clear that there’s still work to be done.
That can’t happen, however, without signings being made. The team are creating chances in abundance but are lacking that conviction in crucial moments. The squad needs a striker with that cutting edge.
But Nancy addressed that need for quality, focusing on how the budget will be used. In his most recent Celtic press conference, he said:
“I think that if you ask the question to all coaches, they’re going to say the striker is important. Obviously, as I said, as a coach, we want all the positions on our team. But again, we’re going to work on that, and we’ll see.
“There is a desire to get players like every window. The idea is not just to add players for the sake of adding.
“This is not about money. This is how we’re going to spend.”
Is the Frenchman simply remaining coy about the club’s January plans, or is this the board sending a message to prepare for further disappointment?
The summer transfer window was a failure. It ended in a scattergun approach on deadline day as the club looked to replace Adam Idah.
Free agent Kelechi Iheanacho was brought in after the window had shut.
He is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury, and Johnny Kenny has failed to make his mark under Nancy.
Shin Yamada has appeared in brief spells off the bench, but has also not shown enough. Wessam Abou Ali, who played under Nancy at Columbus Crew, is set to go elsewhere, despite seeming like an obvious target to fill the number nine spot.
Many supporters have become accustomed to preparing for the worst when transfer windows open, but quality is a non-negotiable this time around.
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