After days of frustrations over the non-arrival of players the sight of Kolo Toure in Glasgow this morning was greeted with delight, relief and joy by Celtic supporters.
The likely signing of the former Liverpool defender will give Brendan Rodgers a boost as he reshapes the Celtic side but it’s unlikely that the 25-year-old will be pressed into a debut next week in Astana.
Celtic can make one wild card signing before the first leg on Wednesday but it would seem to be a massive risk to bring in a 35-year-old for his debut in what is the most important game of the season for Rodgers.
Should Celtic make it past Astana they will be in the play-off round for the Champions League with a three week deadline for bringing in players for that stage of the competition.
Toure has been linked with a move to Celtic all through the close season with the transfer finally gaining momentum this morning as pictures emerged on social media.
If the deal is completed it would almost certainly rule out a return for Charlie Mulgrew who has featured strongly in this weeks rumour mill.
Rodgers phoned the out of contract utility soon after taking over at Celtic but no progress seems to have been made with no other club apparently in the market for Mulgrew.
If the signing of Toure is completed Rodgers would then have Erik Sviachenko, Dedryck Boyata and Jozo Simunovic to pick from in central defence, closing the door on Mulgrew and also Shane Duffy.
@videocelts We are currently relying on a teenage midfielder as a centre half so it can only be good.
— Electronic Tims (@ETimsNet) July 23, 2016
@videocelts Got to be good Joe, help bring Boyata and Tierney on, worth bringing in for that alone
— Tam (@TamMcKenna1888) July 23, 2016
@videocelts if he plays half as well as he did I’m the Europa League against Sevilla then we are laughing
— Darn (@Dazzabhoy98) July 23, 2016
@videocelts Good, as a stop gap.
— craig (@gourdonboy) July 23, 2016
@Stephen4_2 Just to get your blood pressure up further, I've just read someone call Kolo Toure "the black Pat Stanton".
— Andy Reilly (@andysays78) July 23, 2016
Kolo Toure will bring what we need in defence, loved it!
— Eren Sözen (@CelticReporter9) July 23, 2016