[Official TC Thread] January Transfer Window 2025 - 3rd Feb 11pm Deadline

Glasgow world suggestion along with 4 other names

 

https://www.glasgowworld.com/sport/...e-day-star-rodgers-called-outstanding-4973726



5 free agent strikers Celtic could sign after deadline day including star that Rodgers called 'outstanding



It’s the day after the night before and the Celtic fans have been left with questions after a quiet deadline day.

The winter transfer window is over and with it, the Hoops end the period with Jota and Jeffrey Schlupp as their arrivals. But they had far more exits in the likes of Luis Palma, Stephen Welsh, Alexandro Bernabei and Odin Thiago Holm, with the main one being Kyogo

He has been the club talisman and his exit leaves Adam Idah as the only senior striker, with youngsters Johnny Kenny and seemingly West Ham United-bound Daniel * for cover.

Rodgers said as the transfer window clocked ticked down after Kyogo’s exit: “There’s no point in bringing in someone if they’re not the right fit. So it might be more down that route, but we’ll wait and see. My feeling was always once Kyogo was gone, was to have someone else to come in. I don’t know exactly know where it’s at at this moment, but I’d be hopeful that we can do that.


But the demand is still there to improve the squad. We have to make sure that there’s constant improvement. That’s been clear. I don’t need to fall out with anyone over it.”

So who could be about on the free agent market for Rodgers to use as a last-ditch cover option? We take a look at some candidates


Maxi Gomez
Back in 2019, West Ham were a club West Ham considering whether or not to trigger Gomez's £43.3m release clause at Celta Vigo. That big move never quite happened and he’s since been with Valencia, Cadiz and Trabzonspor, spending this campaign without a club. Proven goalscorer in Spain and one of the few stars on the list who maintain clear pedigree when it comes to scoring at a good level


Mariano Diaz
The Spanish-Dominican forward has had some top experiences in his career. Plenty of time has been spent with Real Madrid but consistent minutes and goals hard to come by with Los Blancos, but you don’t make 84 outings for them without having something about you. At Lyon, he netted 21 times in 48 games so there is good pedigree there. Not played this season but you’re not in a position to be picky over options now the window is shut


Romarinho
34-year-old has not had any European experience but has scored goals wherever he’s been. Prominently featured for Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League and Corinthians in Brazil. Last stint in Saudi with NEOM SC ended with 10 goals and five assists in just 18 games. What kind of package would be needed to pull this kind of deal off even on a short-term basis is unknown but a proven goalscorer who’d maybe relish a crack at Europe.

Diego Costa

A fiery character like the former Chelsea man in the Premiership? This would be a headline-grabber but there are few more experienced like him that the free agent bucket provides. Has just left Gremio after eight goals in 26 games but has scored at the highest level. With a Champions League clash on the horizon, could he do a job for a few months?


There’s been some bad blood between Rodgers and Costa before. While they were at Liverpool and Chelsea, Costa was accused by the now Hoops boss of deliberately stamping on Emre Can and Martin Skrtel during a League Cup semi-final second leg

Rodgers said: “He [Costa] is an outstanding player – he obviously has this edge to him. We see the TV incidents, the two that he had. The one with Emre Can, that was poor, I felt. He could easily hurdle over the young player but he directs his studs right on to his ankle, which could have been nasty. And the one with Martin Skrtel – again, there’s no need to do it. That’s the sad thing. He’s a top-class player and he’s clever enough that the officials don’t see it. But it’s poor by him because he’s an outstanding player and he doesn’t need to do it.”


Lucas Perez
Someone on this list who has played plenty this season, albeit in the second tier of Spanish football, leaving Deportivo midway through last month. Has Premier League experience with Arsenal and West Ham, where despite limited game, Perez scored 13 times with five assists across 40 combined appearances for both. More than 200 appearances and 50 strikes in La Liga

 

Diego Costa … Jesus wept, I seen that * play about 5 years ago and thought he needed the old Yeller treatment then … guy must be for the bin now surely?

 

Thankfully it's just a suggestion like most of the papers have done

 

I do see a change, but that change simply means we spend less. And Lawwell loves that. Assuming Rodgers wanted Kvistgaarden and Strelec, he's been left with none, because the strategy has not changed: keep the wage bill absurdly low, and don't overpay.

 

Yeah, of the past 3 windows I think Kuhn and McCowan have been the only punts and they've both worked pretty well. That for me is a positive change. Previous windows we've had a * ton of them and it makes it tougher to bring new players in due to squad size and wages.

It still hasn't been executed to perfection but not signing guys like Shved, Bayo, that polish striker who went to MLS, Haksabanovic, Tilio, Yang, Nawrocki, Lagerbielke, Holm, Oh, Kwon and I'm sure there are plenty others who aren't even really squad level players, is a step in the right direction.

 

Yeah I agree.

For me, the January 2024 window was the line in the sand. The summer previous had been a disaster. From memory, we had signed 7 players ~21 years all around the same price range when the squad badly needed 2 or 3 experienced improvements. I suspect Rodgers did go to Nicholson and Desmond and say that Mark Lawwell and that whole strategy had to go in the bin. It helps that it had demonstrably been an enormous waste of money.

January 2024 I would say there was no real plan or strategy, which is why it was so chaotic. I think Nerlinger probably approached us with Kuhn and organised it for us. (One thing I would say is this type of signing can always happen, it's important to have space for wildcards. A good deal is still a good deal.)

I think Rodgers was quite calm last January because he knew they would change strategy going forward and to me that clearly happened in the summer, and followed up in this window (although as I say, execution was poor this window).

I would be reluctant to describe McCowan as a punt though. To me, he was one of the signings you knew exactly what you were getting at least in terms of bottom line. I would say this type of signing is strategy-agnostic. It's more like a mini-budget the manager has to bring in very cheap signings that he wants, usually to balance out personalities in the squad and things like that.

 

I see what you're saying but I don't know mate.

One thing I would say is it's not solely about money for me. If they want to spend less money then that's fine by me if it's done right. Many of us have argued over the years that instead of spending £3m on 3 21 year old wingers hoping one of them is a superstar, you could just sign a 25 year old £7m player that is more likely to do it. Jota would be my example of that in this window.

The other thing I would say is I don't think we should be overpaying for players. Look if the league was tight you maybe need to overpay because that's the way things go, and I believe they did that in the summer with Idah, but it's not something you want to make a habit of.

Let's see how it goes in the summer. There's clearly a decent amount there for a striker, so that will very clearly happen. Tierney will be here too and I'm sure we'll get another winger in who will be back-up to Kuhn. After that, if we target a DM we'll have one of our best squads in the modern era, in my opinion.

 

Yeah McCowan was not a punt, more a strategic squad player. Signings I am very pro, we should always be looking to recruit players from our league if we think they will be good back up. I do wonder if someone with a bit of strength for the midfield would be better from our league, knows what to expect but won't come in expecting to be starter every week.

 

Yeah, the summer will tell if there's a pattern. I'd say the board have learned to keep the money in the bank if the suggested players aren't to Rodgers' liking. At least it looks like that. I'm shocked this wasn't the case earlier. Saves money, afterall, and that seems to be Lawwell's mantra.

Jota is a special case, since he is well known to us. Tierney too.

 

And your next reply or two are very well made points.

I'll hold my hands up often and say I'll be the first to question this board.
I don't believe they've changed their stripes and all of that.

But that's my default go to after 20+ years of disappointments and failed strategies.

I'm wanting to (and can easily do so) agree with your execution/strategy arguement and believe in the time line of events over those few windows you highlight too.
I just gonna keep holding on to showing the board up for a little bit longer.
I know that sounds like just wanting to be raging for the sake of it, but for me this month has shown enough that although I see and can agree with your excellent thought, I still don't trust them. Rodgers was annoyed as much this window as last January....

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(need to multi post/quote due to Tapatalk).

Rodgers being annoyed has me concerned. Although I think the board have (yet again) done enough to buy them time, on to the next window to prove the baying mob wrong.
Which I hope they really do!

As much neglect as it is to not get a striker in, the rumours of being just priced out of two strikers are strong and believable. Should we just break bank all the time for these signings - absolutely not. But also perhaps the recruitment and scouting side should be doing better to bring other options to the table.
Another issue we've had for many years as well.

It's gonna be a slow process to get the many to change their opinions on the board and their motives. But maybe they are, as your posts show James, there is sense

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Are we allowed to start panicking yet or still time?

 

We wanted to sign Kvistgaarden. So, the only domino that needed to fall for that to happen was to sell Kyogo. Obviously, there needs to be a willingness from Brondby to do a deal and we won’t ever know what the rejections were.

Adam Armstrong joined a team in the Championship from Southampton for 6 months. I can guarantee you, he’d have came up here and won a trophy and played European Football. If we couldn’t make the Kvistgaarden deal work this window, why couldn’t we bring in someone for 6 months. It’s simply not good enough.

 

Also think we would have kept Kyogo until summer if part of him going didn’t come with the opportunity of bringing in Jota, those deals clearly were linked to each other even though it’s not been called a straight swap.

 

Diego Costa looked 39 when he was 22. Must be miles past it and is a hun type player/personality.

 

Surely the panty wetters have calmed down a bit. If only we had Danny Ings we might’ve got 7…


Plenty goals in this team. ST position can wait until the summer.

 

I’m a bit disappointed with the window mainly because it shows the boards ambition more than anything.

I know we’re more than likely not beating Bayern over two legs no matter who we sign, the league is all but done and it’s very likely we’ll win a treble, but it’s really disappointing we didn’t replace Kyogo.

Idah is great on his day, but he’s still inconsistent, Jonny Kenny is unproven and Maeda can play there but we lose a lot down the left side when we take him away.

It’s also unlikely we’ll have a striker in for the qualifiers, we’re always late completing transfers, in general, so the squad we have now plus Tierney is likely the squad for qualifiers. And that’s if we don’t lose anyone before then.

Can’t complain too much as we’re doing fantastic this season but would have been great to get a striker in to get them ready for the qualifiers. Also, when Rodger’s comes out saying we have contingency plans for every player leaving and we’ve known since the summer Kyogo wanted to go, it’s frustrating.

 

And thats exactly why I am so * at not bringing in a striker. Them 2 games are so important for us financially. We gat a striker in last week and he gets through the whole bedding in process and has a good pre season and then is firing on all cylinders come that crucial first leg.
Such a gamble and lack of ambition by the board once again