Celtic told position they must sign in transfer window with one star possibly exiting and injury concerns
Celtic are coming up on their first transfer window under new boss Wilfried Nancy.
Celtic have been told where they must look to sign in January - amid three injury worries and a possible wantaway star.
Wilfried Nancy has arrived as head coach after time in the MLS and has instantly installed his three at the back system. The size of his task in doing so to great effect was made clear in a 2-1 Premiership loss to top of the table Hearts and they are now three points off first place, with games in hand.
What the club do in January has now turned the centre of debate with Rangers hero Barry Ferguson and Celtic favourite Charlie Mulgrew on Go Radio. Amid long-term injuries to Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alistair Johnston and Jota, Ferguson reckons Celtic will need to go big in the window.
Who do Celtic need in January transfer window?
Ferguson: “I think January is going to be huge for Celtic, as we spoke about Rangers as well. I think they have to go out and spend a bit of money to strengthen the squad, because they three players. Carter Vickers is definitely out for the season. Don't know about Johnston. It's a bad one when you got operated on your hamstrings. So that's, you don't know when he's going to go back.
“Jota has obviously done his cruciate. You can maybe write the three off for a long period of time. So that's why January is going to be massive for Celtic.”
Daizen Maeda will be another talking point, after revealing he was promised an exit in the summer, that did not happen. That has Mulgrew thinking that a striker will be needed alongside a decision on the Japanese international.
Will Daizen Maeda leave Celtic in January?
Mulgrew said when asked about Maeda and if he’s off to pastures new: “It's a decision that needs made. It needs to know whether he's staying at the end of the season or whether if he wants to go, then let him go. I wouldn't hold any player against their will.
“So if he's got an option to go and he can go and Celtic get the right money for him, then as long as you get players in, and that's key. If you don't have players to come in, then you can't get rid of them because you can't afford to get rid of them. They're really light in that area.
“So I think it's the best interest to get a deal in place that keeps Maeda there at least to the summer. Also get another striker and then agree with him that he can go in the summer. I think a striker's definitely something that needs to come in for Celtic and January is not going to be easy because teams do not want to lose their goal scorers. I think Celtic should be working in the background now.”
Maeda said after the summer window: "I received an offer. I had been telling the club that I wanted to take the next step, but Celtic hadn’t been able to strengthen their squad properly, so in the end they told me they couldn’t let me go."