O’Neill could sign a £2.5m upgrade for Celtic

It was a brutal assessment of Tuesday’s Champions League defeat from Celtic skipper, Callum McGregor, the Parkhead hero deflated at what had unfolded away in Austria.

The 33-year-old, speaking after that thumping 5-1 loss, admitted he even felt the Hoops had “got away with it” a week ago in Glasgow, with there no such fortune this time around.

Yes, Benjamin Nygren’s careless backpass started the spiral into chaos, but the manner in which the away side wilted was deeply concerning, with the flaws of this squad laid bare in that second half, in particular.

Martin O’Neill desperately needed his substitutes to help wrestle back momentum, but those who entered the fray were perhaps just as culpable as anyone for the collapse, including Sebastian Tounekti.

Why Celtic have already seen enough from Sebastian Tounekti

The frustration of that midweek loss is that had Celtic progressed, increased funds would have been available to strengthen the squad even further, shifting the so-called ‘deadwood’ before the deadline.

Ironically, those peripheral figures who might have been victims of the new arrivals ultimately played a key role in the defeat, perhaps saving themselves from being replaced or upgraded upon.

Tounekti is the perfect case in point, the Tunisian having been so lightweight following his introduction, losing the ball 14 times from his 43 touches, while successful with just 50% of his attempted dribbles.

Like Luke McCowan, time and again the 24-year-old failed to keep hold of the ball and provide some much-needed respite, having also been unsuccessful with all five of his attempted crosses.

There had been hints of a resurgence this season for the former Hammarby star, having netted in the League Cup clash with Dundee United, yet patience is wearing thin following a disappointing 12 months in Glasgow.

In all, Tounekti’s scored and assisted just four Premiership goals in that time, and while players deserve time to bed in, it’s perhaps at the point now where O’Neill and co have surely seen enough.

Indeed, the veteran coach is beginning to get a tune of Yang Hyun-jun, while there’s also the prospect of unleashing Camilo Duran down the left, with new man Haissem Hassan on the right.

Throw into the mix the prospect of a new signing too, and Tounekti’s days may well be numbered.

How Celtic can replace Tounekti before the deadline

The two most expensive arrivals of last summer have both flattered to deceive, with Michel-Ange Balikwisha, signed for £5m, having not featured in a Premiership contest since October.

As for Tounekti, his 50 total games for Celtic have yielded, checks notes, just six goals and only four assists, a desperately poor return for a winger.

Hopefully Jota will return soon enough, but the £8m Portuguese needs ample time to get up to speed, hence why a fresh face could well be needed before next week’s deadline.

As per Sky Sports, that player could be FC Utrecht’s Adrian Blake, the youngster said to be a ‘prime target’ for the Glasgow side, with the club ‘assessing whether a new left winger is required’.

On the evidence of Tounekti’s performance, it certainly is, and with Blake believed to be ‘keen to join’, this feels like a no-brainer of a deal to pursue.

Reportedly valued at just £2.5m, the 21-year-old notably caught the eye against Celtic last season, scoring a stunning consolation goal as the hosts ran out 4-2 winners at Parkhead.

Formerly on the books at Watford, the young Englishman made the move to the Netherlands in 2023, since rising through the ranks to emerge as a real bright spark for Utrecht.

At the start of this season, for instance, he’s already scored twice in his first three Eredivisie appearances, with Tounekti, by contrast, still waiting to get off the mark in the Premiership.

He did match Tounekti’s tally of just four goal involvements last season, but that came from just ten starts, while having also registered five goals and assists despite only starting two league games in 2024/25.

Even his two goals in the early weeks of the current campaign have come from the bench, with Blake showcasing, unlike Tounekti, that he can be a real impact player late on in games.

At a time when O’Neill appears to have unlocked something in Yang, Celtic don’t necessarily need a new standout, starting left-winger, instead seeking someone who can take a game by the scruff of the neck from the bench.

REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger

Tounekti, as Tuesday showcased, just isn’t the man, yet even at just 21, Blake might well be, the in-demand talent making his mark in what is deemed to be the 11th-best league in the world, as per Global Football Rankings. The Premiership, by contrast, is way down in 34th place.

Looking to last season’s Europa League too, in ten appearances, eight of which were starts, Tounekti didn’t register a single goal involvement, nor create a single ‘big chance’.

By contrast, from seven outings in the competition, three of which were starts, Blake scored once and registered one ‘big chance’, notably dribbled past just 0.3 times per game, whereas Tounekti was dribbled past 0.7 times per game.

Considering the Utrecht starlet has less than a year to run on his existing deal, Celtic should well get ready to pounce.