Has Celtic opened the summer transfer window in a big, big way today? Reports are everywhere that we’ve had a bid accepted for the Croatian international keeper Dominik Livakovic, who featured at the Euros. The reports suggest that the offer is around £7 million.
Livakovic is 29. He’s got the physical presence a keeper should have, along with the experience you would want. Yet it is a lot of money to spend on a player with no re-sale value.
Look, I have no idea whether these reports and true and I have a healthy scepticism about rumours, especially those who arise in foreign lands where we can’t easily discern their credibility. Instead, it is all filtered through the local media, and we don’t trust them.
Yet maybe this is the first big sign that we’re moving in a new direction here. If these reports are anywhere near accurate, and if this is to be the first signing of the summer, then we’re in a strange new world where Celtic goes out and brings in top class players who can enhance the squad and set us up for bigger things. What a difference that would make.
Every year for past half dozen, we’ve talked about what it would mean to everyone if the club just went out and made a “statement signing.” This would qualify, and no doubt about it. He’d be leaving a good club to come here, a player at the peak of his powers and fresh from the Euros. He would be signing for a big fee. It has all the hallmarks of a major change in strategy.
Yes, there is plenty of money in the coffers at Celtic, but this would certainly signify a major shift through the gears.
The thing is, a couple of signings of this quality would justify the signing of a few high-ranked projects. I am not in favour of us dumping the strategy entirely; it has produced quality player for us going back a long way. The problem last summer is that we didn’t sign anything else. Even two signings of the right calibre, players who could have gone straight into the starting eleven, would have been the spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.
We need more than just two such signings this summer, but that’s the problem when the board allows us to drift, and chances are missed to do it more slowly and on a longer timeline. Every top player we’d signed last summer would have been one fewer to sign in this one, and every position we failed to fill is one that we’ve now got to.
And yet, I remain optimistic, and I always thought this summer would go well, especially with the manager in total control of it. It helps that we know – we know – we’ve got a bankable asset in O’Riley if we have to push further than would seem smart.
But it was important that we got some early signs of life, and this is a pretty big one if the story turns out to be true. I’m still saying if, and it’s a big if. But it would do more than answer some questions. It would signify, at last, that we’re getting real here and that we’re no longer prepared to follow a stratagem which keeps us just one step ahead of our rivals.
We have a lot of money in the bank, we also have the £50 million champions league money , and we have the significant sell on fee if frimpong moves which would cover this signing in 1 go if true.
I know you’re saying “if” James but to have something happening is a positive. Hope BR gets the players he want and that we desperately need if we want to be taken seriously in Europe.
We need tae go for experince and they have tae be serious about spendin money. It’s goin tae depend on whose leavin as well of course. Priority at the minute, where defence is concerned, is a keeper and another central defender. That’s just for starters. Tho, until we actually see positive action from this board, ah’ll no be buildin my hopes up.
I’m now reading that Celtic have not spoken to the club or the player. Apparently it’s nonsense, pure rumour. With every passing day without a sniff of a signing my dread that this board could monumentally screw up another window increases. Even with tens of millions in the bank and tens of millions more to come this board could still blow it!
Not surprised to find out this story is supposedly not true. He’s no.1 there, it just always seemed unlikely. It looks like Hacksaw is going but no fee mentioned so probably minimal but that’s the good news story we have. I’m getting a bit more uncomfortable that maybe nothing is lined up and we’ll be chasing at the end of the window.
If Celtic spend £7M+ on a keeper then they MUST back it up by strengthing with quality players in other areas. LB, CH, a winger and, obviously, a striker.
Project players have to be for positions where we are planning a succession. Calmac, for example. He plays way too many games anyway.
I look upon Matt O’Reilly as a top class Celtic player, not as a bankable asset!
He may go sometime, but he is from a well balanced family and he himself is a well balanced human being. His head will not be turned and I believe when he feels he is ready, he will go to a higher level. Being at Celtic is like being at University, in football terms. Something which I think his very sensible parents realise, as well as Matt himself.
Hooefully a sign of things to come.
If we negotiate down bernardos fee can we not use that saving yo pay his wages, on a performance /assist&goals bonus structure rather than weekly wages
If this true and the rumour has been here for a while then hopefully we have had a change of gear. We should sign Miovski. Idah and Staefelt as well as a left back and that will do us for this summer.