Having spent much of today cutting through the BS in our media regarding possible transfers, there’s an obvious story to look at in relation to our two loanees, now back at their clubs and doubtless both awaiting to hear from us, or their agents, about our intentions.
We have no idea what Adam Idah is going to cost us. Mid-seven figures for sure. We know that we’ll have to pay that for Paolo Bernardo if we intend to bring him to the club. I remain slightly ambivalent about that deal, but I will support it if we decide to sign him because he’s shown in some of the games where it matters that he can be relied on to deliver.
His surging run from midfield which led to the winner at the weekend was excellent, and he has that in his locker of course. He scored a beauty against the Ibrox club earlier in the season, and he has done enough in Europe to suggest that he might have something. My concern is that the fee is high for someone who hasn’t set the world on fire.
I’ve seen a lot of commentary on other sites that says we should sign them both. I would not complain if we did. But let’s be clear; that would cost us more than £10 million, on just two footballers, and that’s a sizeable chunk of the budget.
And you know, we’d not be any stronger for having done so, and that’s why I am so reluctant to recommend that we go ahead. It’s not pointless, or stupid, but to spend that kind of money on just two players and not even have improved the overall quality of the squad finished the last campaign would leave me pretty cold. I get that these two players will need to be replaced anyway if we’re to avoid going backwards … but I am still nervous about the prospect.
Celtic has done this before. We did it in Ange’s third window, when we made the Carter Vickers and Jota deals permanent. We also signed Maeda who we’d brough in with a requirement to pay for him when the season ended. That was £14 million spent to stand still. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t have it any other way … but that’s what we paid all the money for.
That’s why our other business in that window was Haksabanovic, Bernabei, Seigrist and Aaron Mooy. The latter two were frees. We also bough Abilgaard on loan. Whilst I wholly agree with the signings of our crucial troika, all of whom were huge for us, not one of those guys made the squad better when they signed on the dotted line.
Of the other signings, only Mooy significantly upgraded up.
So, I’m being careful what I wish for here. I know that Bernardo and Idah could be big, big players for us in the coming campaign and I know that not signing them means needing to replace them, but I’m also aware that we’re working on a budget, that we’ve already got a big squad, and that Brendan will have to be very careful, even if we sell Matt for the big bucks.
Last summer’s fiasco has left us with a big job to do, and we have to work within the parameters set for us by playing in Scotland, and we all know this. So does the manager, which is why I very much doubt he’s going to commit so much of the budget on just two players only for us to not progress one step as a result of signing them.
This is going to be a complicated window. We need to be very careful how we proceed. In one sense, these are no-risk deals because we’ve seen enough from both players to know they’ll be assets to us, but if we have to pay £12 million to get them and that kind of money could buy us three or four other players for the same money, we might just opt to do that.
We’ll find out, I suppose, but I won’t be surprised if we go for Idah and not Bernardo, unless we do lose Matt O’Riley, and then I think we’d pretty much have to. One way or another, we’re going to find out in the next couple of weeks.
If we lose O’Reilly, it is generally thought that we would need Bernardo to fill that gap. There is, however, another option. Apparently Bosun Lawell has been impressive in his loan spell, and is now returning. He can play in a defensive midfield role. That would Free up Calum McGregor to play further forward, where he would be more effective
Interesting you should mention him mate.
I think we have to try and sign both. We know they can deliver and have big game mentality. I think selling Mikey Johnstone and Haska will possibly cover both fees. If we don’t sign either or both, we are looking at 6 or 7 new additions to the squad, who need to bed in, 4 or 5 new faces would be hard enough to settle together.
Good points well made James. I would sign both as Brendan will improve both players. As a left field signing, who would be a cheap buy to compensate for Idah and Bernardo’s cost – Simon Murray of Ross County. An enforcer, can score goals, gets around the pitch well and would be better again under Brendan and playing with better players. He turned 32 in March.
Would be a great addition to our first team squad I believe. But like politics, it’s all about opinions!
No but it would immediately weaken us if we didn’t sign them, especially Idah. Then, you are gambling on bringing in cheaper options while at the same time hoping for better.
Not very clever!
There’s no way Idah and Bernardo are worth payin 10 million for and if that’s what it comes near, our club would be crazy tae pay it. That would be reckless spendin in the extreme. Aye they’ve grabbed a couple of important goals, but their overall contribution- performances, fall well short for that kind of money. No more than 7 for both imo. Bernardo is naewhere near a replacement for o’reilly, should he go. Idah ah think, has potential under BR, tho he still has a good bit tae prove as well.
Got to disagree with you here James – football being a game of opinions and all that. Idah would be additive on the season just ended as he would be available for the whole season and I believe he showed enough to suggest he can be a consistent 20+ goals a season striker. And we need one of these and they do not come cheap.
Bernardo I am a fan of. Took a little time to settle (not unreasonable) but has really stepped up when asked in the 2nd half of the season in big games – a goal and 2 assists against Sevco. Strikes me as the type of player that BR prefers (and he was happy to let David Turnbull go when he was contributing goals which I think was a vote of confidence in Bernardo). €6m strikes me as the sort of fee we need be considering if we want first team ready players.
I do agree that we need to move on the bit-part and no part players to create space – either through loans, compromise agreements on contract terminations or loan deals to cover some of the salary costs.
that should be sales not loans
ADAM HAS scored vital goals and has paid his transfer fee James and he has set GLASGOW on fire making us happy BHOYS and if MATT Moves on for a massive fee PAULO is the ready replacement
We would also be weaker without them… Idah would be well worth the money.
Miovski would be on my shopping list too with Oh and mikey Johnston punted.
I think Benfica would reduce the cost of Bernardo too.
Get it done Bhoys.
Buy both of these Hunskelpers immediately
If we bring in 3 or 4 players for the said 12 million, then that is a risk – we know from past experience and a squad of bloated project buys, what 3 million gets you. At least with Idah and more so Bernardo we have tried them out first and they have weighed in with some important assists and goals. It will depend on the price of course and we would expect these guys to kick on next season, but imo these 2 settled reasonably well and could be funded mostly by clearing out some of the project buys.
James I’m really surprised at you talking about 3 or 4 players for 12 million rather than spend 12 million on two, that sounds a wee bit like the scatter gun approach of last summer. I have never been one of those supporters who expected Celtic to spend unrealistic sums of money for a club stuck in the SPFL but I think we have to realise, if we hope to be competitive in the new format Champions League, then we have to think bigger than ever and In my opinion the least Celtic can spend this summer is around 30 million. If we sell O’Riley that sum would be closer to 40 million.
Unless Celtic can unearth another midfielder who has the same quality of M O’R at a reasonable price, then I would definitely consider Bernardo at 5 or 6 million plus at least one other midfielder. As far as Idah goes, I would go as high as 8 million. Strikers with his attributes are hard to come by and he has already assimilated with the team and support, which is always a big test for any striker coming to the club.
Let’s face it, scouting and signing of players is always a gamble and I’ll leave these decisions with BR and his background team,
The board have got to grow a pair and set their sights that wee bit higher, I’m sick and tired of being the whipping boys of the Champions League.
All I’m saying is that if we spend £12 million to basically stand still we’re limiting what else the manager can spend.
I’m not suggesting we don’t have money to spend, but we play in Scotland, there ARE limits on what we can reasonably do here. And that is a LOT of money to basically not move forward even one step. I find it impossible to believe that in the era where you can find an O’Riley and Maeda for £1 million apiece that a huge chunk of the transfer budget should be spent to just stand still. If you’re saying there aren’t better players than those two out there, for less than £12 million, I would say you’re dead wrong. They ARE out there … whether we’ve found them or not is another question.
“They ARE out there … whether we’ve found them or not is another question”
But that’s the whole gamble isn’t it James. Thats why CCV and Jota were worth paying the 6/7million each because we knew what we were getting and that they fitted in with our team, our tactics, our play etc and they had proved themselves. Idah has done so and.Bernardo to a lesser extent. Not spending 12million on them but spending 6-8million on 2 others is the gamble which our board have done the last 4.windows and look where that’s got us!
It’s always a gamble mate. Every signing. I personally would pay £6 million for Idah but after that it becomes about diminishing returns, because I don’t think they’ll get that from another club and it’s the price we pay for not negotiating a right-to-buy clause. Bernardo … I would pass on him at £6 million. I like some of what I see but I’m not sold the way I was sold on Carter Vickers and Jota and believed we HAD to keep those two. I think that’s £6 million we could spend better.
I don`t know whether Celtic would be stronger with them but they would certainly be weaker
without them. I hope Lawwell is not reading this, it might just have him licking his lips.
Why would we spend millions on new players that we hope will improve the team when the 2 loan players played there part in us wining the double”and could get even better for next season .We need a new goal keeper first and other players Rodgers would like to bring in which will cost millions and clear out the others he does not rate also if O’Riley” goes there will be enough revenue to get rodgers much better players in.
Idah and Bernardo coming in. O’Riley going out. And actually, as long as the money is good… He should go. He’s levels above Celtic right now and we will only enhance our reputation in signing players if we show them a route to the big leagues. Paolo Bernardo is going to be a superstar, if we can get another year or 2 while he does it so much the better.
But we still need a GK, LCB, LB and at least 1 winger too. Of quality. And strength.
Hi James, don’t agree with the three or four players for the £12m instead of our loanees. For me, that is what we have been doing wrong, thinking on a smaller scale player wise. Those two players won us the last trophy so sign them up instead of three or four that we don’t know how they will work out
An absolute ballbag of a comment.
Honestly, you’re a complete fanny if you think that’s what I just wrote.
Let me tell you something; I’ll debate ANYBODY on the points, on the stuff that I DO say …
But what I will absolutely NOT fucking do is debate the points people THINK I said because they read the headline but were too fucking ignorant or lazy to read the damned article.
If you think I said we SHOULDN’T sign them, or that we can’t AFFORD to sign them then you DIDN’T read it.
If you think I’m making the case for not spending money this window not only have you not read THIS article but I have difficulty believing you’ve read ANY article on this site EVER.
If you, however, are suggting we blow every single penny we have in the bank in this window then I’m glad you are not running our finances.
Then,why have you not printed the comment that l took the time to construct,James ?
It’s sitting awaiting your moderation,apparently !
No I’m not publishing it, it’s a foaming at the mouth rant.
You’ve either not read the piece or you’ve not understood it. I write very plainly and simply.
NOWHERE did I suggest that we SHOULD NOT sign them.
NOWHERE did I make excuses or propose excuses for NOT SPENDING MONEY.
I’ll tell you what I’m going to write tomorrow; Ange Postecoglou built AN ENTIRE TEAM for £18.5 million.
So MAYBE JUST MABYE spending TWO THIRDS OF THAT not to be any stronger at the end of it MIGHT be something we have to THINK ABOUT a bit before we do it.
It’s called maintenance, where things don’t improve but stay effective.
My farm needs a machine to make it a more efficient farm. I rent the machine, have the machine for a year and the farm flourishes.
Buying the machine won’t make the farm flourish any more than it already is, but sending the machine back certainly makes it weaker.
And, what if this machine, when I buy it, I enhance it? Use the best of oil, it’s not being shipped out to a different farm every year, it’s treated with the best of care by a world class farmer.
There’s a chance the machine could actually improve, and I’m safe buying it because I know exactly what it can do, how to operate it and what it has the potential to do more.
I’d buy the machines. Especially the Irish one.
Exactly my thoughts Andrew. I felt JFs logic here was flawed. You expressed it to my delight. Thanks. Although if I had to express it, I’d never in a million years come up with a farming analogy.
Bernardo is not good enough to warrant the transfer fee that Benfica are likely to ask for him. He is a decent player but not a great one. There are better players out there that will cost less. Idah is a very good player with lots of potential, but again the fee has got to be realistic before we accept it. I do hope the Idah deal works out favourably for us,