Chris Sutton has warned that Celtic’s playing squad can’t be weakened.
The arrival of Shane Duffy has increased speculation that Kris Ajer is on his way out while David Turnbull’s signing from Motherwell suggests that Tom Rogic and or Olivier Ntcham will be on their way out.
Over the last two summer transfer windows Celtic have generated massive transfer surpluses with the tab for this summer reaching £15m without any transfer fees coming in.
Craig Gordon, Jozo Simunovic and Jonny Hayes have been removed from the wage bill but the instinct of most supporters- especially after losing out to Ferencvaros in the Champions League- is that the next piece of transfer business will be outgoing.
Going against that thinking, in the Daily Record Sutton writes:
Shane Duffy’s signing should lift Celtic. It should not mean the sale of Kristoffer Ajer.
Just in the same way that the signing of David Turnbull should not signal the departure of Olivier Ntcham. Or absolutely anything should signal the exit of Odsonne Edouard.
There’s a popular theory that someone is going to have to leave because of the circumstances that have followed the lockdown and the disappointing exit from the Champions League.
I’m not stupid. I realise the club has lost several millions having nothing coming through the turnstiles at the end of last season and at the beginning of this one.
I understand the guts of £15million have been spent on recruiting Vasilis Barkas, Albian Ajeti and Turnbull as well as paying the loan fees for Duffy and Mohamed Elyounoussi.
I don’t need to be told the savage exit from the Champions League saw a potential £30m windfall disappear back on a flight back to Hungary in the Fenerncvaros kit hamper but I realise the importance of this season on the domestic front as far as the club is concerned.
While progress in Europe’s main competition should have been as important as winning 10 In A Row, the first one has gone and now only the second target remains.
Ajer, Ntcham and Edouard are all under contract until 2022 which in theory gives Celtic a strong say in the destiny of those players.
Next summer could see a large turnover in the Celtic squad but for now not many Celtic fans will argue with Sutton’s thinking that winning title 10 can’t be compromised.