Martin O'Neill warned Celtic lag Rangers on transfers
Ex-Celtic striker Cillian Sheridan says Martin O'Neill is concerned Celtic are falling behind Rangers in the summer transfer window, warning the Parkhead boss may not tolerate the club's slow recruitment and lack of a head of recruitment much longer as the title defence nears. Celtic have signed only Camilo Duran so far, while Rangers have completed seven deals under Derek McInnes.
Key Takeaways
- Cillian Sheridan says Martin O'Neill shares fan concern as Rangers sign players nearly every week.
- Celtic's only summer signing is Camilo Duran; Rangers have seven arrivals.
- Sheridan blames no head of recruitment and a pattern of recycled transfer targets.
- He doubts how long O'Neill will tolerate the setup before Champions League playoffs.
- Former Aberdeen CEO Keith Wyness says Michael Nicholson could be "sacrificed" to fans.
Why is Martin O'Neill under pressure this summer?
Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, Sheridan said any Celtic fan would be concerned watching Rangers sign players "nearly every week." He added that Martin O'Neill is worried too. The Scottish champions are days from starting their title defence, with Flag Day against Dundee on August 3.
Daily Record reporting notes the 74-year-old has already faced a pre-season grilling over the lack of business. Angry fans stayed away from a friendly with Middlesbrough last weekend. A Champions League playoff first leg is due on August 18 or 19, after last season's failure against Kairat Almaty.
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What transfer theme has Sheridan spotted at Celtic?
Sheridan argued Celtic keep circling the same names. He pointed to Bodo/Glimt forward Kasper Hogh and already-signed Camilo Duran as players monitored in earlier windows. In his view, that pattern stems from having nobody in a head of recruitment role to drive fresh scouting.
"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 said, per GlasgowWorld. Structure, not just one window, is the core problem he identifies.
He contrasted Celtic with Motherwell's model of signing to a style of play whether a manager is in place or not. That modern approach, he argued, is putting Celtic under heavy pressure.
How far behind Rangers are Celtic in the market?
Celtic's solitary summer recruit is Camilo Duran from Qarabag. Rangers enlisted Serbian midfielder Vanja Dragojevic as their seventh signing of the window as Derek McInnes rebuilds. Daizen Maeda is set to leave for Ipswich Town, leaving Celtic needing another replacement after struggles to cover Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah last season.
Alan Brazil told talkSPORT recruitment looks "diabolical," suggesting Martin O'Neill may be having sleepless nights. Read Celtic coverage framed the board—not the manager—as the deeper issue while noting the title defence is about eleven days away and a high-stakes Champions League playoff looms.
Will Martin O'Neill keep going along with the transfer slog?
Sheridan said he does not know how much longer Martin O'Neill will go along with it, insisting something will have to happen. He called the situation almost a carbon copy of last season—and possibly worse—warning of another Champions League qualifier crash.
He also flagged uncertainty over Callum McGregor's future and linked Brendan Rodgers' exit and silence to how events are unfolding. Separately, Keith Wyness told The Inside Track that chief executive Michael Nicholson is "in real trouble" and could become the figure "sacrificed" to the fan base after citing agent fees as a market barrier.
Celtic Park, Wyness said, is "not a happy place right now," with supporters still waiting to see spending match the club's means.