Celtic‘s spending so far this summer has been long overdue, with the Parkhead hierarchy perhaps beginning to right the wrongs of recent seasons in the transfer market.
They’ve taken their sweet time about it, of course, but on the early evidence, this latest batch of incomings is set to prove worth the wait, with both Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh having hit the ground running in Glasgow.
Haissem Hassan, fresh from his World Cup exploits, needs time to get up to speed, yet Mika Baur has already made an instant impression, putting in a sparkling cameo at Tannadice.
Four in the building so far, yet there’s still plenty of work to be done to ensure Martin O’Neill isn’t caught short as the campaign progresses.
What Celtic still need to do after signing Baur & Hassan
Starting with the backline, it does appear a risk not to invest in a genuine upgrade on or competition for Viljami Sinisalo, the Finnish ‘keeper having certainly not been perfect in the back end of last season.
He was undoubtedly an improvement on the injury-hit Kasper Schmeichel, but there was the odd shaky moment too, with Sinisalo perhaps at fault for both goals in the 3-2 thriller with Motherwell.
Ahead of the 24-year-old, the search goes on to find an understudy to Kieran Tierney, following Marcelo Saracchi’s departure, with a deal for Chelsea starlet, Landon Emenalo having not progressed as expected.
On the opposite side, the loss of Alistair Johnston to injury – alongside rampant speculation over his future – could also force the Parkhead chiefs back into the market, with the Canadian previously missing almost the entirety of 2025/26.
There is a feeling that Reo Hatate could still stay put beyond the deadline, yet with Arne Engels having left the building, Baur alone might not be enough to fill the void.
The Hoops have already allowed Paulo Bernardo to head to Poland on loan, while it remains to be seen what O’Neill will be able to get out of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain across an entire campaign.
Strength in depth appears to be essential at full-back, central midfield and perhaps on the flanks too – how about someone who can do it all?
How Celtic could sign another Ryan Christie for £3.4m
There’s always a desire to have two quality options in every position, but it’s also just as important to have versatility in the squad as well, someone who can plug a range of gaps when needed.
Ryan Christie was certainly an asset in that sense during his time at Parkhead, the fleet-footed Scot lining up everywhere from defensive midfield to centre-forward, prior to departing for Bournemouth in 2021.
In just over 150 games for the club, the former Inverness man featured in seven different positions, as per Transfermarkt, only not seen as part of the backline in that time.
|
Christie’s Celtic Versatility |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Games |
Goals (Assists) |
|
AM |
50 |
17 (15) |
|
RM |
30 |
10 (7) |
|
LM |
19 |
6 (8) |
|
CM |
16 |
3 (9) |
|
CF |
4 |
2 (0) |
|
SS |
2 |
0 (0) |
|
DM |
1 |
0 (0) |
Johnston’s Canada teammate, Niko Sigur, has been mooted as a potential incoming who could slot in at right-back or central midfield, although Viktoria Plzen’s Cheick Souare looks like an even more versatile addition for the Glasgow side.
As per reports in Italy, Celtic are among the clubs who are interested in signing the 23-year-old this summer, alongside the likes of Genoa, Monza and Getafe.
The Spanish side have already had a €2.5m (£2m) bid rejected, with Plzen instead set to cash in for close to €4m (£3.4m), suggesting that a bid in that region would be enough to strike an agreement.
A veritable Swiss Army knife of a player, Souare fits the Christie mould as someone who Celtic can plug and play wherever he’s needed, so adept in a variety of roles it would seem.
Indeed, it’s almost difficult to pin down just what his best position is, regularly seen operating on the right flank as an out-and-out winger, albeit while popping up at left-back and in central midfield too.
Like Christie, he’s another creative left-footer who can be a real weapon in the final third, having scored and assisted eight goals in Czechia last season, while also creating eight ‘big chances’.
The Frenchman also boasted a standout 1.3 key passes per game and an 80% pass accuracy rate, both composed in possession yet with that knack for making a probing, killer pass to those ahead of him.
For context, that record isn’t too dissimilar to what Christie achieved in his final full season at Celtic Park, the playmaker racking up 14 goals and assists, while creating eight ‘big chances’ himself.
That 2020/21 season also saw Christie boast an 84% pass accuracy rate and record 1.9 key passes per game on average, having perhaps been something of an unsung hero for the club at the time.
Souare appears to be cut from a similar cloth, and not just because of his versatility, with his creative flair suggesting that no matter where he’s deployed, he could be another to unlock a defence for O’Neill’s side.
For a potential fee of just £3.4m, this feels like a bargain in the making.
