Today, there are more rumours than you can shake a stick at, both players going out and players coming in.
I was very cynical – many of us were – before this window opened, but the club does appear to be going about its business in a thoroughly professional manner and with a great deal of skill. I’m going to talk about why I’m optimistic in a moment.
But first let me share with you some details of how totally consumed I get by transfer business.
I told you the other day that I sit tuned in to Newsnow a lot of the time and check it every ten minutes when the transfer window is open. I go to bed only after checking all the early editions of the papers. You’d think I’d sleep well after all that, right? Wrong.
Last night I dreamed I was in transfer negotiations with a footballer. I don’t think I was negotiating on behalf of Celtic – the whole thing had a “club across town” feel to it – but I now know I am definitely cut out for the business.
First, the guy arrived at the meeting in total secrecy, no press on alert or anything.
That was kind of assured as we had him rolled up in a carpet.
I think it more than possible that we grabbed him against his will too; that part of the dream remains unclear.
I do know that when we put the contract in front of him he wasn’t for signing it immediately even with two rather strong men behind him holding him down in the seat. The room was stuffy; I ordered the heating turned up. Then said we would give him some water, if he signed the first page. You know what clinched the deal? (Apart from the ever hanging threat of broken bones?) We promised him a good salary and “access to premium fish fingers.”
I feel a club somewhere is missing out on my talents …
Anyway, Celtic are clearly conducting negotiations in a much better fashion, and getting things swiftly done.
There are a plenty of stories today about transfer targets, so let me just right onto that.
Two New Targets, One Current Affair And One That (Maybe) Got Away.
Two new names today, and it sounds a lot like we’re serious about them. They are within a reasonable price bracket, they will provide cover and competition for key areas and there are links with the club for one of them and a link to the famous leaked dossier with another.
First, is the Israeli central defender Hatem Abd Elhamed; he plays for Hapoel Be’er Sheva and would be available from between £1.6 million to £2 million.
That’s very reasonable for a full international, and he would firm up that crucial part of the team. The Celtic connection here is with his agent, who also represents Nir Bitton, who I think we’ll see quite a bit of in this campaign. If he’s fit he’s a very good player, capable of playing several roles.
I don’t know much about the centre back himself, but this is an area where we do need signings and Lennon wants one more for it. I assume he likes what he sees.
Secondly is a winger from St Polten; his name is Husein Balic and he is 23.
He plays wide left, which this website has highlighted a position where we need cover several times. It is good that Lennon sees that and has moved accordingly. The media will claim this is the final bell for Scott Sinclair, but I very much doubt that’s the case.
The link to the leaked dossier is that it identified the UEFA Under-21 European Championships as a key scouting ground for the club in this window, and that’s where we’re supposed to have seen this boy play. He would be available for just £700,000.
Romain Perraud continues to be the subject of numerous stories, and his name is being thrown around in the media again today. He, as you’re all aware, is a left back who plays for Nice. You have to think he will only be signed if someone gets real and offers the cash we want for Tierney. That’s a “watch and wait” story; frankly, I’d rather keep our boy right where he is.
Of course, the transfer rumours wouldn’t be complete without the media trying to throw in a story about how we’ve been snubbed and that comes today courtesy of The Record who claim one of our key targets is Manchester City bound instead.
“Who might that be?” I hear you ask.
He is described as a “wonderkid” by some in the media, and was a standout for Ecuador in Under 20 World Cup in Poland. He’s 20, and City want to add him to their talent conveyer belt, sign him and immediately loan him out to their continental outfit Girona.
We have one advantage here in that we will find it easier to get him a work permit.
He wants to go to City – of course he does – but Celtic looks a safer bet for his development and so we’ll see how that one goes.
It’s not out of the realms of possibility that we could sign him and give City first refusal on him with an agreed fee, or that they could sign him and loan him to Celtic for a season or two … the relationship does exist. We may as well exploit it.
Reasons To Be Cheerful 1: Our Top Players Are Still Here And We’ll Get Value For Any Who Go.
In spite of major press pressure, and stories about how every player at the club is up for grabs, not one of our key players has left. Yet.
Tierney, McGregor, Rogic and Ntcham have all been linked with moves away, but other than KT there have been no actual bids for any of them and the one concrete bid for Kieran was so far below the level of acceptability we told Arsenal to chase themselves.
We are strengthening the team without losing anybody. At the moment.
That will change. We all assume that it will. But we will get our fees for whoever goes, there will be no disappointment on that score even if we’re sad to see the people go. Celtic is good at this now, we can command high prices for our players because there is a lot of confidence out in the world that Celtic knows what it is doing.
So although I do think we’ll lose people I also know that nobody will be leaving Parkhead on the cheap. The guys who do go will net us enough money to bring in their successors with plenty left over for spending on other parts of the team.
And you know what? That’s reason number 2 why I’m cheerful …
Reasons To Be Cheerful 2: We Mean Business In This Window.
This window is different from the last few.
We mean business here.
We’re getting signings done quickly and without difficulty. Yes, our rivals will point their stinky fingers at us over the Turnbull deal but in fact Celtic played that beautifully and got exactly what they wanted out of it. The player would be in the Hoops right now but for a failed medical.
Luca Connell was signed just hours after the media told us there was a hitch in that deal which might hold it back. The Frenchman Jullien – the blue chip signing of the window thus far – was supposed to be out of our reach. I thought he was myself and said so.
One French newspaper – its crucial line splashed on every Scottish tabloid back page – said that it was “unthinkable” that he would sign for Celtic. Well, all credit to the club because he has, he did, the unthinkable happened and we’ve got a major footballer.
The signing of Mbombo was done with a minimum of fuss, and we finally have the left back cover we’ve been crying out for.
If Tierney goes, the Frenchman Perraud will come in and we’ll still be better off on the left side of defence – with two quality players going head to head for the jersey – than we’ve been in quite some time.
Three signings are done. It should have been four. And we’re spending money too, with £10 million shelled out so far and a commitment to spending £13 plus had things gone well with Turnbull. This is a major departure from previous years.
My colleague Dave Campbell suggested that the club has been preparing for this window for quite a well, for flexing the muscles for the 9IAR campaign … right now it looks like it.
And amidst all the excitement over the players already in … well there’s reason to be cheerful number 3.
Reasons To Be Cheerful 3: This Rebuild Isn’t Even Half Finished Yet.
We’ve brought in three players already, we’re linked with a dozen more.
Central defence is being fixed, we’ve got in some left back cover.
We’ve signed a talented young midfielder. A lot of clubs would be content with that but not Celtic, and indeed we can’t be.
There will be two right back signings. One central defender. At least one more central midfielder. A left sided attacking midfielder. Possibly a second left back. There are rumours that we’re going for a goalkeeper. And yes, there will be another striker.
That could be as many as eight more players arriving at the club. Yes some people will go, but those positions are certain to be filled. There is loads of excitement left to come in this window, and Celtic fans can anticipate seeing more big money being spent.
Lennon is said to want to save a big sum for the striker position. But we’re going to have to spend a few million at least on a first choice right back. There are rumours about Adam Matthews as a backup and that’s broadly acceptable if we get the starter right.
I hold out hope that we’ll get Harper from West Brom. He would be the central midfielder.
If we get the winger we’re linked with today that covers another position. The centre back from Israel would slot in there nicely. Perraud from France gives us our left back replacement if Kieran does decide to leave. These guys would enhance what’s already a very good squad.
And this is just speculation, about the players we know of. It’s probable that Celtic’s real targets are still unknown and that we’ll spend more big money. If players depart for large sums, then the fans will clamour for those sums to be spent. You know what? I think we will spend them.
This summer has surprised me already in the quality we’ve gone for.
I reckon that will continue all the way through the window. I think we’re in for a rollercoaster ride and a half, all the way to the last day.
Our squad will be transformed in this window.
It is exciting stuff. The wheels are in motion and I am thrilled about it.
Reasons To Be Cheerful 4: Celtic Is Not A “House Divided” This Summer.
Last summer was characterised by a lot of flapping about, and we know now that a lot of heavy stuff was going on behind the scenes. The manager felt piqued. The club felt let down by his attitude. It was all to come to a head before a crucial game. Celtic, last summer, was a house divided.
There were problems. There were clashes of egos.
It made for a very tense working environment.
Look at the body language of everyone at the club right now. This is a unit, pulling together, working towards the same goals. This is a Family again. The club is as unified as it has ever been, going into the most important season in a long time. There is no sign of underlying tension and aside from a few players being unsettled by the media, everyone seems content.
When Celtic is working like this, we are unstoppable.
The manager must be feeling the love right now.
He is being backed like Rodgers probably didn’t feel he was. There’s a story to be written about that, but James has that one covered (so he says). But there are surely none of the doubts and questions in Neil Lennon’s mind that were in those of the former boss. What he’s asked for he’s been given.
The Celtic support is concerned at who we might lose, but I think all of us are surprised and impressed by the way we’ve splashed the cash so far and the guys we’ve already brought in and tried to. Many are going to wait to see how this window goes before commenting – and that’s wise, of course – but the signs are good and most people see that.
Regardless, all now are right behind the manager and the club.
The internal machine is purring away, well-oiled and operating at peak.
We’ve even got a DoF handling the day to day transfer stuff whilst Lawwell plots another coup at the SFA.
Reasons To Be Cheerful 5: Our Rivals Have Not Done Anything To Worry Us.
Over the road, they have signed freebies and cheap options.
Their squad is allegedly stronger – it’s certainly more bloated – but I don’t see the big signings that are going to make a significant difference. Those who doubted this site and others when we said that they were skint over there only has to look at the quality of the business they’ve done to see we were right.
Doubtless, they will bring in some journeyman from England, some guy in his mid-30’s who’s had a decent career. This has been their pattern and their model for the last few seasons. Some of the names have been hilarious; it will not be someone who costs them £40,000 a week in wages.
They don’t have the kind of cash to pay that kind of salary.
Even accounting for one wildcard, “risk everything” type deal for someone like Sturridge – my idea, by the way, for Celtic before the media stole it for them – what really would have changed? They needed to strengthen significantly this summer just to make up for the weaknesses in Gerrard as a manager and they haven’t done it and they won’t do it.
The cupboard is bare. Gerrard wants more, more, more but unless they can flog a key player for a major sum – and nobody will pay a major sum – they’re stuck with what they’ve got and what they can afford. There has been no real forward progress.
How sure am I that they’ll not get right of one of their overhyped stars?
Well, we’re chasing a right back at the moment and the quality we’ve looked at is vastly better in football terms than James Tavernier. Not one of the players we’ve looked at – save for the Atalanta boy Timothy Castagne, now probably out of our reach – would have cost us anywhere near what they are allegedly looking to get for their penalty taker.
No club is going to pay that kind of money when Baldock or Castagne or Tommy Smith or Jack Stacey are available for much, much less than what the Ibrox club want. Even the Italian is valued at £12 million … that’s £3 million less than Ibrox Noise and the club reckons Tavernier is worth.
They are absolutely wired to the moon.
The Rumour Guy is a Celtic blogger writing under a false name so nobody will stare at him in the supermarket over his crazy dreams …
