“Celtic’s version of Champions League money is the selling of key assets each year. If they happen to make it through the qualifiers, then that’s a bonus.”

Høgh and Duran are not enough. We need more.

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Celtic have a major recruitment problem. The most frustrating part is that everyone can see it unfolding in front of our eyes. The same mistakes made season after season. Window after window. The supporters clearly have Champions League ambitions for the club but it’s becoming very clear that isn’t the case in the Celtic board room. Too few players in. Too many out. Sold well undervalue with no coherent plan tying it all together. That is structural failure.

Celtic fans are sick of being angry at the way the club is being ran. But it’s clear that the club will not change the current strategy until there is serious change at major shareholder level. Every window Celtic look like a club reacting to problems rather than preventing them. They never look in control of any situation. Where was the list of five players to replace Johnston the minute Everton’s interest became clear?

Another Champions League qualifier is approaching

With a Champions League playoff looming, it’s just reckless behaviour. There’s no other way to look at it. Players should be in the door early each window ahead of the season defining tie. A well ran club would have them in the January window to make sure.

Why do the club wait to the last minute before making signings when they’ve known for months what we require? Rumour is it’s because they don’t want to pay the extra salaries for a few extra weeks. Surely that cannot be true?

Why do the club seem to operate a one in one out policy on potential transfers? How many times do we see incomings happen after someone leaves the club. Sometimes key players aren’t even replaced in the same window. Kasper Høgh and Camilo Duran is simply not enough. The club always needed a major turnover of players this window due to previous mismanagement but it’s just not materialised.

Where are the replacements?

Another CL tie looms against Austrian champions LASK and the hoops are woefully underprepared. There’s talk of Engels and Johnston leaving as well. Two key players that will leave big gaps before a £40 million game for the club. Where are their replacements before we let them go? Like the club did with Edouard and Dembele, or Juranovic and Johnston. It seems clearer than ever that the club seem committed to staying a couple of points ahead of Rangers and taking a chance with Europe. Too many aspects of the transfer windows are repeated every year for it to be chance.

“Celtic’s version of Champions League money is the selling of key assets each year. If they happen to make it through the qualifiers, then that’s a bonus.”

All views expressed on Celtic DNA are personal opinions and are for commentary and discussion purposes only

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