Celtic’s first summer signing will tell us where this summer is going.

Maybe it is just me. Maybe it is the years of watching Celtic stumble through transfer windows that should have been straightforward. Maybe it is because I have seen the same mistakes repeated so often that I can practically predict them before they happen.

Or maybe it is just my Ginger Witch instincts kicking in again.

But I have always believed that the first signing of the summer tells you almost everything you need to know about how the rest of the transfer window is going to unfold.

The first signing sets the tone.

It sets the mood. It sends a message.

And that is exactly why I am watching this summer so carefully.

Every Celtic supporter knows what the previous few years have looked like.

The endless rumours. The delays. The waiting. The promises that business is being done behind the scenes. The insistence that patience is required.

Then, suddenly, we find ourselves deep into July or even August still discussing positions that should have been strengthened weeks earlier.

We have all lived through it.

We have all watched Celtic enter crucial European qualifiers while supporters were still asking where the new goalkeeper, striker or defender was.

We have all heard the explanations.

And frankly, enough is enough.

This summer feels different because it has to be different. Celtic cannot afford another passive transfer window.

The football world does not stop and wait for us.

Other clubs are already moving. Other clubs are identifying targets. Other clubs are strengthening their squads. While that happens, Celtic cannot simply sit back and convince themselves that everything will somehow fall into place.

Action is required. Real action.

And that is why the first signing matters so much.

If Celtic’s first arrival is another emergency option, another player returning because he is familiar, or another cheap gamble that nobody really believes in, then supporters will immediately start asking questions.

Not because we are negative.

Not because we are impatient.

Because patterns matter.

Football clubs develop habits. Successful clubs create winning habits. Poorly run transfer windows create bad habits. When the first signing lacks ambition, supporters naturally start wondering whether the rest of the window will follow the same pattern.

It is human nature.

And honestly, can anyone blame us?

The first signing should make supporters sit up in their seats. It should create excitement. It should generate belief. It should make rivals take notice. Most importantly, it should show that Celtic understand exactly what is required to move forward.

For me, the ideal scenario is simple. Go and get a high-calibre player early.

Not in August. Not after months of negotiations. Not after endless speculation. Now.

Make a statement. Show intent. Show ambition. Show everyone that Celtic understand the importance of being prepared before the season begins.

Because here is the thing many people overlook.

One major signing early in the window creates momentum. Players notice. Agents notice. Supporters notice. Suddenly the narrative changes. Instead of people asking why Celtic have not signed anyone, they are talking about who might arrive next.

Instead of anxiety, there is optimism. Instead of frustration, there is excitement.

That is the difference.

A genuinely impressive first signing can completely transform the atmosphere around a transfer window. And that is why I keep coming back to this feeling that Celtic must get the

This is one of those summers.

One of those pivotal moments.

One of those windows that supporters will look back on months later and say either, “That was where everything started going right,” or “That was where the warning signs first appeared.”

The first signing will not determine the entire season, of course. Football does not work like that. But it tells us plenty about the club’s thinking.

It tells us whether lessons have been learned.

It tells us whether Celtic are planning proactively or simply reacting to circumstances.

It tells us whether the board truly understands the scale of the challenge ahead.

And make no mistake, the challenge is enormous.

Domestic success is expected. Champions League progress is demanded. The standards at Celtic are different. That is the reality of being Scotland’s biggest and most successful club.

The supporters do not expect miracles.

We simply expect preparation.

We expect ambition.

We expect Celtic to behave like the big club it often claims to be.

That means identifying weaknesses early and addressing them quickly. It means supporting the manager. It means recognising that standing still is often the fastest way to fall behind.

Martin O’Neill deserves that backing.

The supporters deserve that backing.

The team deserves that backing.

And if the club truly wants to build on last season’s success, then this transfer window cannot become another exercise in caution and delay.

The foundations should be laid immediately. The message should be sent.

The statement should be made immediately.

Maybe I am reading too much into one signing.

Maybe the first arrival will not tell us everything.

But after years of watching transfer windows unfold, I do not think that is true. The first move often reveals the strategy.

The first move often reveals the ambition. The first move often reveals whether a club is attacking the market or merely drifting through it.

That is why these next few weeks matter so much.

Supporters are watching. The manager is watching.

Rivals are watching.

And Celtic have an opportunity to set the tone for the entire summer.

Get that first signing right. Bring in genuine quality. Show ambition from the very beginning.

If that happens, I genuinely believe the mood around the club changes instantly. The pressure eases. The excitement grows. And suddenly the rest of the transfer window starts looking a lot brighter.

Maybe that is the football supporter in me talking.

Maybe that is the eternal optimist.

Or maybe it is simply the Ginger Witch in me spotting the signs before they appear.

Either way, I cannot shake the feeling that Celtic’s first signing of the summer will tell us everything we need to know about what comes next.

And we will find out soon enough.

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