Cificti, Logan & The Kid From Madrid

Celtic look set to sign another two players this week, as we continue to reconstruct our squad under Ronny Deila.

Preparations for the first games in the Champions League are almost done then.

There are rumours that these players will be joined at Celtic Park by a very special youngster.

This site discussed the Ciftci situation at length last week, and there appeared to be some consensus amongst the troops that this wasn’t a signing we were particularly excited about.

Nevertheless, the deal is now as good as done, with the bid for the player being accepted.

He appears on the way to Celtic Park.

I have no fears about the reception he will get.

Celtic fans have always given new signings 100% backing on the pitch.

If Nadir has the quality he will very quickly endear himself to the supporters and the doubts will all be put to one side.

The larger doubts will remain, those about our long term ambitions.

We understand that this is Scotland we’re playing in, but once upon a time we aimed higher than this.

It’s almost as if we’ve found a level where the board is comfortable with us operating, as a mid-tier European side, one that is content simply to make the groups every few years.

Lack of investment cost us these past two seasons.

Neil Lennon’s team was cut to the bone even as he was trying to get into the Groups, and we paid the price in terms of results once we’d made it.

Ronny Delia’s revolution barely got off the ground last season, with loanees and swirling rumours about player departures haunting his every step.

This year we’ve lost Adam Matthews, and whilst this website wishes Adam well and understands the bind it put our club in to have him seeking a fresh challenge and entering his final year the simple fact is that we’ve signed a young player from Manchester United who none us knows much about as a direct replacement for a Welsh international.

That can be dressed up however some people like, but it doesn’t take a genius to realise that, short term, we’re going to be weaker as a squad for that.

Yet all that said, I am really pleased at what looks, on the surface of it, to be a no-brainer piece of business, the imminent signing of Logan Bailly, who’s six caps for Belgium makes him more than just a capable backup.

He will actually be expected to challenge Craig Gordon to maintain his own excellent standards, and that’s something we all ought to applaud.

It is truly excellent to have secured such a fine player for such a nominal sum, and this is probably the best bit of business we’ve done during this window, including securing the signing of Dereck Boyata. I’m well pleased with it.

The rumours about Martin Ødegaard, I’m less impressed with.

This is a 16 year old kid here, and quite who we’d leave out of the midfield to accommodate him I do not know.

He may have all the talent in the world, but it seems to me a luxury we don’t need.

I mean, are we talking about trusting him on the Champions League stage?

Are we talking about playing him in league games, or what?

It’s hard to see how this benefits either party unless we’re talking about someone truly exceptional, a special once-in-a-generation footballer.

This deal may not even happen, despite the noises coming out of the media.

This kid will have other options, and some of them will make more sense to him than coming to Scotland.

Frankly, I don’t see it.

The attraction of it might seem obvious – in PR terms alone it would give the club a lift – but when you scrutinise the benefits they don’t stand up.

Do we need him to win the SPL?

No.

Is he sufficiently talented enough to make a difference in Europe?

Who knows?

But do you want to risk it on a 16 year old loanee?

Celtic’s summer signing policy has again called into question our club’s level of ambition, but the four signings so far are all young, all capable and all known qualities to one degree or another.

It’ll be for Ronny Deila to gel them into something that works as a unit.

Above all else, I have faith in that.