The January Transfer Window 2021-2022

Many fans, some broadcasters and in the youth system I won't name here.

 

Like I said, make what you will of it, and you have.

 

We are milking the Japanese lads we signed 2 weeks ago! Every time I go on social media Celtic are posting them like we signed them 5 minutes ago. Delighted we got them in early but was expecting a bit more after the fast start, seems that article from Sky last week about us concentrating on outgoings now is true. Hopefully we can get rid of Barkas, Ajeti and the likes and get another in at least. Also one of the loans tied up on a perm.

 

Probably pipe dream stuff, but Jota, CCV permanent Wolf, Gudmundsson, a left back and shift some dead wood and I’d be delighted with this window.

I reckon it’ll probably be Jota, CCV, a CM and a winger and that’ll be our whack. Still shaping up to be a very good window despite the disappointment regarding McGree

 

If this happens it would be better than many summer transfer windows we have had.

 

Celtic bailed out of a bidding war with Middlesbrough for Riley McGree after the English outfit slapped in a bid worth up to £5million for the Aussie.

Hoops boss Ange Postecoglou thought he’d landed the 23-year-old Charlotte FC star – who he called up when in charge of the Socceroos – after an initial £2m fee was accepted by Major League Soccer. The deal looked set to be rubber-stamped but McGree did a U-turn after Middlesbrough returned to the table.

Chris Wilder’s Championship outfit have been chasing the former Birmingham loan star for months and they upped their offer to secure the playmaker after offering £2.5m up front and double the amount in add-ons – and earn the player up to £20,000 per week.

McGree is understood to have done his medical on Teesside on Wednesday and the move is set to be sealed in the next 24 hours barring any more last minute twists.

Celts were keen on the kid but the skyrocketing fee blasted above their valuation and Postecoglou will now focus attention on other targets.

Postecoglou has drafted in Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Icheguchi from Japan in deals worth up to £6m and also added promising Irish youngster Johnny Kenny.

The Aussie is close to nailing down a permanent deal for attacker Jota while talks with on loan Spurs defender Cameron Carter-Vickers’ representatives are underway over a full time switch to Parkhead.

Postecoglou is still in the market to further bolster his squad and has been linked with Iranian attacker Mehdi Ghayedi, who is currently attracting attention with Shabab Al Ahli’s Ghayedi in the United Arab Emirates.

AZ Alkmaar’s Albert Guomundsson has been touted across the continent as the Iceland midfielder moves in to the final six months of his contract in Holland.

Celts have also been credited with interest in Algerian international midfielder Ahmed Kendouci after his manager demanded his board at Entente de Setif refuse to sell him to the Hoops.

And the Parkhead club reportedly asked former Rangers favourite Madjid Bougherra for the lowdown on the 22-year-old.

Celtic have been linked with a move for Kendouci in Algeria and the speculation has caused his club’s manager, Nabil Kouki, to insist the club don’t sell, with Entente de Setif just two points off the top of their league.

He said: “Last season, we missed out on the title because we sold important players in the transfer window. I very much hope and expect that it won’t happen this time.”

Algerian outlets reported Celtic had even contacted Bougherra – who played for Rangers for three years and is now a coach with the African nation – for info on the playmaker.

Kendouci, who has two years left of his deal and is valued at £1m, has been capped once for his country, but didn’t make the squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

 

Hopefully get more business done by the end of next week. Give any new signings time to train with the squad before the Huns game.

 

We've got plenty of time here as well..

 

Now that the McGreed deal has fallen through were being linked with no less than 6 different midfielders.

Highly suspect theres someone under the radar for this one.
But, its obviously gonna be a second option rather than our first choice... Or perhaps, the more expensive option.

Either way, a cm/amc and a lb woupd be delicious.

 

CAM, RW/LW & LB would be ideal..

But would actually take 2 out of 3 with CCV and Jota secured..

 

I think it’s likely we are looking at a CAM and a RW/LW for now with permanents for Jota and CCV.

Also pre-contracts for a CB and possibly another forward.

Like you I would like a LB on the list and probably a GK too.

Football Manager type stuff but

CAM - Wolf Loan to Buy - 6 or 18 months
RW/LW - Ferhat or Gudmundssen (pre-contract nominal fee to sign now)

Bosmans
CB - R Bazoer or J Onguene or M Veljkovic or K Schlotterbeck
LB - Rafa Soares or Erik Wekesser or Nicolas Cozza
GK - Yahia Fofana
CM Not that we massively need one but Magnus Kofod Andersen would be some player for us and another if we didn’t get Wolf I would go for now. He reminds me of a younger Callum McGregor, can play anywhere in midfield.

 

Ange just said he doesn't expect any more signings this window...

 

Hope he's taking the *. We still need another couple.

 

No chance..

We just offered 2 to 3 mill for a player..

Ange and all of us know we need more..

No even halfway through the month..

There'll be more bodies in and out....guaranteed..

 

Tbh, if we sign Jota on a permanent deal along with the 3 Japanese lads, it would have been a very successful window, just won't feel like it since we done business early.

We do need, at minimum, another midfielder and winger ideally, but the latter depends on how Ange views Johnston, so it might not happen this window.

 

Probably be late on in the window when we start to hopefully offload Soro, Barkas, Boli and Ajeti..

I've no doubts we'll bring another attacking midfielder in. Hopefully someone who can come in off the right wing and a left back..

Think the first two are more likely though..

 

Zero chance we bring in a LB until we shift Bolingoli and Montgomery imo. I think it's something for the summer, where we'll judge whether or not Scales or Taylor are good enough to be first choice (they aren't, but I guess Ange wants to have a look himself)

Ideally we see a winger come in, but I think we need to see where Mikey Johnston is at first. Another position I think we'll wait until the summer.

No excuse not to bring in another midfielder however. Rogic is injury prone, Turnbull is currently injured until the end of February, and Bitton, as good as he's been, is too slow for standard SPFL games.

Wolf on a loan deal would fix so many of our issues.