Martin Neill frets as Celtic trail Rangers on transfers
Ex-Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan is concerned Celtic are falling behind Rangers in recruitment, spotting a recurring transfer-target theme and saying martin neill—Martin O'Neill—shares that worry as Rangers sign nearly every week while Celtic have completed just one summer deal so far.
Key Takeaways
- Cillian Sheridan says Celtic fans—and Martin O'Neill—should be concerned as Rangers sign players nearly every week.
- Celtic have one summer signing (Camilo Duran); Rangers have seven, including Vanja Dragojevic.
- Sheridan links recycled targets such as Kasper Hogh and Duran to the absence of a head of recruitment.
- He questions how much longer O'Neill will tolerate the slog before Champions League playoffs.
- Former Aberdeen CEO Keith Wyness says Michael Nicholson could be the board "sacrifice" to angry fans.
Speaking on BBC Sounds' Scottish Football Podcast, the former Republic of Ireland international argued the window has not been good—an Old Firm gap he says supporters discuss "every year now."
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Why does Cillian Sheridan say Celtic are falling behind Rangers?
Sheridan pointed to a stark numbers gap. Celtic's solitary recruit is Colombian striker Camilo Duran, while Rangers' rebuild under Derek McInnes has brought seven arrivals, with Serbian midfielder Vanja Dragojevic listed as the latest.
"I think you'd have to be concerned from a Celtic point of view," Sheridan said, adding that any Celtic fan would be—and that Martin O'Neill is as well—especially while watching Rangers sign "nearly every week."
He framed the slow market as a familiar complaint: every six months, talk returns to another poor window. Full context is in the GlasgowWorld report.
What transfer theme has the ex-Celtic star spotted?
Sheridan noticed Celtic keep being linked with players already monitored in earlier windows—naming Bodo/Glimt forward Kasper Hogh and Duran, who has since signed. He said the club appears to revisit prior shortlists because nobody holds the head of recruitment role.
"It's as if they're saying 'we're not really bringing anyone in so let's go back to who we were looking at before,'" he argued, calling structure the biggest problem. He contrasted that with Motherwell's model of signing to a style of play even when the managerial seat changes.
Pressure is rising elsewhere too: Daizen Maeda is set to leave for Ipswich Town, after last season's criticism over failing to replace Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah and a Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty.
How long will Martin O'Neill go along with the transfer slog?
With the Premiership title defence days away—Flag Day at Celtic Park is August 3 against Dundee—and a Champions League playoff first leg due around August 18 or 19, Sheridan warned of déjà vu after last season's qualifier collapse.
"I don't know how much longer Martin O'Neill will go along with it," he told the podcast, saying something will have to happen. He also flagged uncertainty over Callum McGregor's future and called the situation a carbon copy of last season—or "probably worse."
Angry fans stayed away from a pre-season clash with Middlesbrough. Per the Daily Record, Keith Wyness said chief executive Michael Nicholson is "in real trouble" and could be sacrificed to the fan base after citing agents' fees as a barrier. Separately, Alan Brazil told talkSPORT Celtic's recruitment is "diabolical," with commentary that O'Neill may be losing sleep over the dithering.