With three days left to go in the transfer window there’s no doubt that Celtic fans are getting towards panic mode.
Brendan Rodgers has dropped plenty of hints about signings over the last couple of weeks but it’s elsewhere in the club that is responsible for completing those deals.
Signing Odsonne Edouard in June looked like great forward planning but the weeks have slipped by without any more strengthening of the first team.
The closer that it gets towards deadline day the more risky signings become, last minute deals create headlines but don’t have much of a track record for being a success.
The current transfer window has been more pained than most, the inactivity was initially put down to the World Cup, then it was the English transfer deadline followed by waiting on our Champions League fate.
Recently there has been a defender a day linked with a move to Celtic, nothing has come of it so far with supporters as keen as the manager for arrivals.
Perhaps this year will bring some pleasant surprises but the recent past doesn’t lead to optimism unless you were a big fan of Stefan Scepovic or Teemu Pukki.
AUGUST 2017
It had been a quiet window with only Jonny Hayes signing a permanent deal with that business completed before pre-season training began.
The quest for Patrick Roberts seemed to dominate everything, time seemed to stand still as we watched every social media move coming from Manchester.
Another season long loan was arranged by injury and James Forrest pushed Roberts onto the sidelines. Another loanee, Odsonne Edouard arrived with less fanfare as the transfer window closed, he scored on his debut at Hamilton and came into his own in the spring proving himself to be much more than a third choice.
AUGUST 2016
Scott Sinclair, Moussa Dembele and Kolo Toure were brought in quite early and made an impact as Champions League qualification was reached.
Expectations were high in the closing days of the transfer window as the funds piled up but in the end only Cristian Gamboa was added to the squad.
Gamboa turned out to be back up to Mikael Lustig while Craig Gordon rediscovered his form to oust Dorus de Vries.
AUGUST 2015
Possibly the worst transfer window ever, led by early deals for Saidy Janko, Dedryck Boyata and Nadir Ciftci.
Scott Allan was added for some one-upmanship but then came the exit from the Champions League which changed the landscape.
Virgil van Dijk made his predicted departure with Jozo Simunovic brought in as his replacement. Ryan Christie was another deadline day deal and was instantly returned to Inverness Caley Thistle on loan.
AUGUST 2014
After warning against bringing players in on loan Ronny Deila proceeded to bring in Jason Denayer, Jo Inge Berget, Aleksandar Tonev and Mubarek Wakaso. Even Celtic stattos would be hard pressed to list that lot.
Following the defeat from Maribor that ended hopes of Champions League football Tyler Blackett came in from Manchester United- on loan.
Finally on deadline day a permanent signing was made- Stefan Scepovic with John Guidetti arriving from Manchester City- on loan.
Only Denayer made any worthwhile contribution.
AUGUST 2013
Not the most memorable of transfer windows with Virgil van Dijk saving the day.
With Gary Hooper and Victor Wanyama moving to England big gaps were left in the side which Derk Boerigter, Teemu Pukki, Amido Balde and Nir Bitton failed to fill.
Pukki was the marquee signing, agreeing to move from Shalke 04 after Champions League football was secured.
Bitton came onto a game but Pukki, Balde and Boerrigter did better out of those transfers than Celtic managed.