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Celtic's 2025/26 Summer transfer window: Stage: Shelby hovering over the Panic button

Discussion in 'Celtic Chat' started by Sgt Neppers*, Mar 16, 2025.

Discuss Celtic's 2025/26 Summer transfer window: Stage: Shelby hovering over the Panic button in the Celtic Chat area at TalkCeltic.net.

  1. The Crow Gold Member Gold Member

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    Brendan Rodgers is wasting no time clearing the decks at Celtic Park this summer as three fringe men near exits.


    The Hoops have already offloaded unwanted trio Luis Palma, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki in recent weeks



    Scott Bain has also joined Falkirk, while key first-teamers Greg Taylor and £17million man Nicolas Kuhn have moved to pastures new.


    Now, the Scottish champions are set to trim their squad even further as forgotten man Hyeokkyu Kwon gets set for a shock switch to France.


    The South Korean, 24, has been bombed out of Celtic's pre-season plans after returning from an underwhelming loan stint at Hibs.

    And it's believed the midfielder - who never played a competitive game for the Hoops - is on the brink of inking a three-year deal with Ligue 1 club Nantes.


    He could quickly be followed out of the door by Marco Tilio as Rapid Vienna close in on an initial loan with an obligation to buy for around £1.5m after he makes a set number of appearances.

    Meanwhile, Norwich City are hopeful of landing bit-part winger Hyunjun Yang on loan, with talks ongoing.

    The departures of Yang and Tilio would leave James Forrest and Daizen Maeda as Celtic's only fit wide players, with Jota crocked until 2026.


    It's an area of the team that Rodgers has made no secret of the fact that he wants to bolster, with Michel Ange Balikwisha top of the wishlist.

    Royal Antwerp have so far played hard ball over their £5m valuation of the left-sided attacker, who is out of contract next summer.

    But Celts remain keen on the 24-year-old and are hopeful that a cut-price fee can be agreed sooner rather than later.
     
  2. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    Then, the club should sack him and bring someone else in that they want to back.

    A club like us can not afford to stand still for a season. The Huns may get closer, any progress from last year's European run goes back three steps, it's utterly pointless if this is the way the club are handling this.

    It's also highlighting why we need a modern football department with a proper infrastructure and DoF.

    Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk
     
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  3. celtic20

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    True, I don't disagree with that. But we stand still pretty regularly so wouldn't be anything new.
     
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  4. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    Unfortunately also true.
    Which is the truly frustrating part of all of this. Knowing how much further ahead we could be, if it wasn't for this nonsense 2 out of 3 seasons for the last 22 years.

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  5. Mr Shelby Moderator Moderator Gold Member

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    It's just a bit boring that we need to have this conversation every summer on here for as long as I can remember. That to me tells me there's issues there, alone.
     
  6. celtic20

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    Then you have managers saying "hopefully" or "I'm confident" that we'll get some players in.

    As if there should be any * dubiety over it.
     
  7. Twisty .

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    Squad must be proper threadbare at this stage. Done well to get rid of a lot of the squad players that weren't good enough. Now we need to go out and replace them with guys that can actually challenge for a starting spot.
     
  8. Mr Shelby Moderator Moderator Gold Member

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    IF we get rid of all the deadwood which we are doing well at so far, and replace/enhance the squad with 5 of 6 bits of quality/couple better 'projects' it could still be a very good window.

    But we need to shift a bit.
     
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  9. The Crow Gold Member Gold Member

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    Brendan Rodgers insists he is in charge of ALL Celtic signings – and told fans he understands the punters itching for more new arrivals, writes Michael Gannon in Italy.

    The Hoops boss is chasing targets to strengthen his first team and knows the clock is ticking towards the start of the new Premiership season.

    But Rodgers also shot down suggestions of a difference between club signings and his own top targets.

    The Irishman described new recruits Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada as part of the club’s long term strategy, along with youngster Callum Osmand.

    But Rodgers is adamant he has the full final say over any players coming in while underlining his desire to land first-team-ready stars.

    He said: "It’s pretty straightforward. There will be players within our recruitment team that are not just for now but for the future.

    “Clearly, I will look at those players and assess, and see if those players can come in and play. Then there will be other players we specifically need. It’s still very much joined up.

    “I suppose it’s more around whether the players are for now or later. People know the model over a number of years. There are players who come in who are maybe not expected to hit the ground running, but some of them do.

    “That’s what I need to assess, those guys coming in. But I also need to win now, and we need to get those players in. Either way, I will be responsible for that.

    “Club signings, with the greatest respect, I don’t care where they come (from), I just need good players in the building who can help us win today, tomorrow and the next week.

    “I’ve always developed players in my career, so I respect that side of it, but also the need for the present.”

    Rodgers can understand fans frustration with the Hoops desperately needing at least one winger and another striker ahead of the new campaign – and the Champions League qualifier on the horizon.

    He said: “I respect what the supporters are – I want players in tomorrow. But I understand the market and what you need to do to bring a player in.

    “It’s not as easy as clicking your fingers. We all want them in at the start, absolutely, and none more so than the coach.

    “But there is a middle and an end, and as long as you have them in by the end, it’s such a long season, so I’m very hopeful we’ll do that.

    “I am, because there is a lot of hard work going on behind the scenes in terms of players.

    “Of course, you look at our squad and you can see where there are needs for improvement. It’s pretty clear.

    “The market is difficult in terms of timings and everything else. On the same token, we are only 11 days away from the new season and we want to get players in as quickly as we can.

    “If you are looking to bring in a player that will improve us, the other club is looking to maximise their assets as well.”

    Celtic have a pile of cash in the bank after the £17m sale of Nicholas Kuhn on top of impressive reserves.

    But Rodgers is not demanding a bumper war chest as he defended last summer’s £26m trio of Arne Engels, Adam Idah and Auston Trusty.

    He said: “There was a bit of focus around the players who came in last year and question marks around what they brought.

    “For one, they didn’t set the price. But, two, Celtic did as well as they’ve done for a decade and those guys really helped us.

    “Trusty was outstanding in the Champions League. Engels, his running power, was really helpful for us, he’s a young player who will get better.

    “Idah scored over 20 goals and still has improvements to make. It depends on perspective. I felt we needed physicality and power for the Champions League and that really helped us.

    “Those players have still more to develop.

    “Whether a player costs £250,000 or £12m, I’m not really concerned. I’ve seen and worked with players who have cost more but others who have cost less but are much better players.

    “I’m not really fixated on, ‘I need £10m, £15m or whatever’ – I just need quality players.”
     
  10. JC Anton Get yer, hats, scarfs badges & tapes

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    Im sure everyone at the Club, understands the enormity of the CL Qualifier.

    However the mechanism/structure, to not only add the quality needed to qualify, but to try and compete in the group stage, isn't there.

    Antiquated and out of touch, in terms of getting deals over the line, low balling clubs continually when players would be ideal and ultimately missing out.

    The scouting seems good enough, getting players in when required seems to be an issue almost every window.
     
  11. Mr Shelby Moderator Moderator Gold Member

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    Aye I don't actually have grumbles about our scouting atm. If Tisdale has identified Nygren, for example and some of the others we are linked with, that's promising.

    It's the next stage that's a concern.
     
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  12. Blochairnbhoy

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    The board is out of date. The average age and length of service for a PLC board is ridiculous. They are hated by a majority of the support and their fans are mainly celtic da * who go on about the 90s. Like the board they are stuck then.

    If the worse was to happen and say we drop points at Pittodrie, then lose at ibrox and go out the UCL playoff (and I mean absolute this is worst case) then the wrath of the fans is out straight away towards the board, season is on a downer not being in the UCL and we have missed out on the cash they crave and are potentially behind in the league. Now thats a lot of ifs and buts and hypothetical chat but its possible.

    For me the point I seen other day was pertinent

    In summer 2022

    We had Jota and Daizen for LW
    We had Kyogo and Giakomakis for CF
    We had abada and Forrest for RW

    And had Hacksaw for backup across the wings

    Currently (allowing jota injury)

    We have Daizen and Yang for LW
    We have Forrest for RW
    We have Idah, Yamada, Kenny and Osmond for CF

    In that list Kenny, osmand for me should be loaned and forrest is 3 year older than 2022.

    Its frustrating as it is embarrassing for us to have the cash at our disposal, the level of manager we do and also over £20m of incoming transfer funds this summer.

    The place will only change when these auld duffers in the board room can't cognitively function anymore!!!
     
  13. themouth1888

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    Ive no issues at all with bringing in prospects it just can't be our main way of doing business.

    Get plenty of prospects in and send them out on loan. Lots of big teams do this and have dozens of players out on loan.

    We are in a position to do similar (on a smaller scale). But we also need to be actively recruiting starters as well.
     
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  14. stirfry999

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    When the actual * are we going to spend some money need at least 4 quality first team ready players .Every season the exact same * sickening
     
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  15. tuna_matata

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    You would think we are skint the way we have went about our transfers this window & last. Always bidding way less than a players valuation just for another club to jump in & show us how it's done.
     
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  16. Peej Gold Member Gold Member

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    Reading (not hearing) that latest from Rodgers from Crow last night, he comes across annoyed as well.

    He accepts, as we all do, projects will come in and players to work with.
    But * * we need players for today! Now!

    He's telling us all (and the club) we are massively lacking in big areas, yet we are signing multiple project strikers?

    Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro XL using Tapatalk
     
  17. LectersLuncheon

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    Agree wholeheartedly with what you just said; but not about the board; theyre all straw men.

    Not one of them have any ambitions for the club, or personal career ambitions at this club, other than padding their portfolios and keeping Desmond happy.

    Its boils my * that the media and some fans still call that * dinosaur our "majority share holder".

    He rules the club like Kim Jong-il. And little Kim Jong Un-Ross is waiting in the wings to succeed Daddy and carry on his work.

    Theres only one way we are getting rid of the Desmonds;

    A real sugar daddy, with genuine supporter credentials steps up, starts buying up shares, and goes public with intentions to take control of the club and fulfil real ambitions. Fracturing support for the Desmonds in the board room, and uniting the support to oust them.

    And that..is NEVER going to happen.

    We can only hope and pray for two things. That Ross Desmond isn't a total * moron, and that he has more ambition than his da.

    Letting a family run a football club barely has a happy ending. As we can attest to.

    Dermot Desmond isn't a kick in the * of 80 at this point. We all need to start going to chapel and pray fir divine intermission just in case Kim Jong Ross is a * moron.
     
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  18. TheHappyLoss

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    Has anyone tried poking the war chest with a stick?
     
  19. Ryanm1984

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    Squad of 2022 should be the benchmark. Strongest squad in years.

    Cbs were CCV, Starfelt Jenz and Welsh

    Cms McGregor, O'Riley, Hatate, Mooy, Turnbull and even had a DM in Abilgarrd.

    Left back was only weak area but even at that stage we were optimistic about Bernabei who we had spent almost £4m on.

    Miles off that kind of depth all over the pitch now
     
  20. McChiellini..

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    An embarrassment how slow and tight fisted we are..

    I was all for praising the earlier work
    KT on a free. Great deal
    Nygren for 1 and a half mill. Another superb bit of business
    Then Osmand on a pre
    Doohan homegrown/quota 3rd choice
    Inamura 250 grand snip
    Yamada 1 mill odd

    But we all know we needed a real injection of quality in certain areas. We all knew Kuhn was long out the door, just a case of to who and how much were we getting..

    To then sell Kuhn a couple of weeks ago, in an area we were already well short when he was here, is farcical. There should've been somebody in before or straight after he was away..

    We need a starting right winger and striker in. Where are they? Where's the backup to KT? Where's the centre half either starter on the left or competition for Carter-Vickers? We've sold/loaned out a couple who were brought in for over 5 mill combined..

    Are we getting anyone to take the dairy off McGregor now and then?

    It's becoming a joke now. I'm usually quite calm but this isn't good enough. We're absolutely minted, with a top coach and a winning side that performed well in the champions league last year.....so what's the problem? Why can't we get key targets in?

    Starting striker
    Good left winger to compete with Maeda
    Starting right winger
    Backup right winger or someone who can operate a couple of positions
    Backup left back
    Centre half
    Understudy to McGregor

    At least about 6 needed. Hmm..