Celtic are now expected to confirm deals for Mark Fotheringham and Shaun Maloney to remain at the club ahead of pre-season training starting tomorrow.

The backroom staff situation has dragged on longer than anyone connected with the club would have wanted, but it now appears a resolution is close after days of uncertainty around two key members of the coaching set-up.

Journalist Callum McFadden reported on X: “Now expect deals for Mark Fotheringham & Shaun Maloney staying on to be officially confirmed ahead of pre season training starting tomorrow. Things have dragged on for longer than all parties would have liked but it’s a case of better late than never.”

Now expect deals for Mark Fotheringham & Shaun Maloney staying on to be officially confirmed ahead of pre season training starting tomorrow.

Things have dragged on for longer than all parties would have liked but it’s a case of better late than never. https://t.co/9fMX7m45vf

— Callum McFadden (@Callum7McFadden) June 25, 2026

That update will come as a relief around Celtic, with preparations for the new campaign about to get underway at Lennoxtown. Pre-season is never the time for a coaching staff issue to drift, particularly when players are returning to the training pitch and planning has to move from discussions into daily work.

Fotheringham and Maloney have both been central to the recent coaching picture at Celtic, and their futures had become a major talking point after prolonged talks over staying on.

While the delay has not reflected well on the club’s handling of the situation, the latest update suggests Celtic are now close to getting the matter sorted before it causes further disruption.

The phrase “better late than never” just about sums it up. This should have been tied up sooner, particularly with pre-season training starting tomorrow, but keeping both coaches in the building would still represent an important piece of business.

Once confirmed, Celtic can move the focus back where it needs to be: the players, the pitch, and the work required before competitive football returns.

There will still be questions over why the process took as long as it did, but the immediate priority is stability. Maloney and Fotheringham staying on would give Celtic continuity at a key point in the summer, with the squad returning and preparations beginning in earnest.

After a messy few days of uncertainty, Celtic now look to be edging towards the outcome many expected from the start.