Martin O'Neill resists more Celtic star exits this summer
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill has admitted he does not want more stars to leave after 14 exits this summer. West Ham's bid for Arne Engels failed to meet Celtic's £25m valuation, while Everton have contacted the club about Alistair Johnston. The martin oaposneill stance is clear: hold key players while rebuilding.
Key Takeaways
- Martin O'Neill says West Ham's offer for Arne Engels did not "remotely meet" Celtic's valuation, with the club holding out for £25m.
- Everton boss David Moyes called O'Neill about interest in right-back Alistair Johnston after the Canadian's World Cup form.
- Celtic have seen 14 players leave this window, including Daizen Maeda and Kelechi Iheanacho, while signing Camilo Duran and club-record buy Kasper Hogh.
- O'Neill is unsure whether Engels or Johnston will be available for Monday's Premiership opener against Dundee, live on Sky Sports.
- Former midfielder Paul Hartley says Celtic may still need up to eight more signings to compete on all fronts.
Why does Martin O'Neill want to stop further Celtic exits?
It has been a lopsided window for the Scottish champions. Sky Sports reports a total of 14 departures, among them Daizen Maeda to Ipswich, Kelechi Iheanacho to Bursaspor, and several high-profile loan endings.
"I was hoping as each day went past that there wouldn't be any serious interest. But that was never going to happen," O'Neill said. "Now that you say 14 [players who have left] I'm worried myself."
He framed the challenge as balancing retention with recruitment: "I think you have to try and do your best to balance everything and try and get new players in and try and hold the players that you have at the same time. That's utopia. Unfortunately, that's not real life."
For fans following Streaming & TV Alerts coverage of how to watch Celtic, that squad stability question matters ahead of the title defence.
What interest surrounds Arne Engels and Alistair Johnston?
According to Sky Sports, West Ham were in talks for Belgium midfielder Engels, with Celtic holding out for £25m. Nottingham Forest also tried to sign him in January. O'Neill said an offer had been made but did not "remotely meet our valuation".
Interest in Johnston has grown after an impressive World Cup with Canada. O'Neill revealed Everton were in contact and that David Moyes called him last weekend to flag forthcoming interest. He was unsure whether a formal bid had arrived or how far talks had progressed.
"Alistair did excellent work with Canada and that enhanced his chances," O'Neill added. He was also unsure if Engels or Johnston would feature against Dundee on Monday.
Can Duran and Hogh play together — and how many more signings do Celtic need?
Celtic have brought in forwards Camilo Duran and Kasper Hogh, the latter for a club-record fee. The BBC reports O'Neill is confident the pair can combine, even if that means adjusting the long-favoured 4-3-3.
"I would think that, given time, the two players should be able to play together without a problem," he said. Duran has played wide before, though O'Neill sees him as a striker or just off the striker.
Former Celtic midfielder Paul Hartley told the Glasgow Times the rebuild must continue, arguing the club may need up to eight more signings — including midfield cover if Engels or Reo Hatate leave, a goalkeeper, a centre-half, right-back cover if Johnston goes, and wide options — especially with Champions League quality at stake.
O'Neill's message remains consistent: Celtic want to build, not keep shedding stars, even as Premier League interest refuses to quieten.