Celtic have held talks about talks over signing Marcelo Saracchi.
That is the exciting transfer breakthrough today from Ryan McDonald of the Daily Record.
Saracchi joined Celtic on loan last August. In the final SPFL match of the season he made a telling contribution to the decisive goal scored by Daizen Maeda. Ten minutes later Callum Osmand applied the icing on the cake.
A week later at Hampden Saracchi was a late substitute as Celtic beat Dunfermline to lift the Scottish Cup.
A decision could have been made there and then about whether to make a permanent deal with the Uruguayan defender.
It should have been one of the easiest decisions of a complex summer. Kieran Tierney is the only other left-back at Celtic. At a push Liam Scales could go into that position but is clearly more comfortable in central defence.
Now dressed up as some sort of breakthrough McDonald tells Record readers:
Celtic are set to open talks with Boca Juniors over a permanent deal for Marcelo Saracchi.
?Record Sport understands the Hoops have held preliminary discussions with Saracchi’s camp. And now Parkhead chiefs are ready to finalise a move that could see Saracchi become the first signing of the summer.
In true Celtic fashion a deal should be completed in 7-10 days. How could it be anything else with Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay involved?
CELTIC NEGOTIATING STRATEGY
The club will know Saracchi’s wages for the remaining 18 months of his Boca Juniors contract.
After haggling with the club and the player the contract offer will need the approval of directors.
Once that process is completed a deal should be concluded. Which takes the left-back position back to how it was at the end of last season.
On the back of three transfer windows which has weakened the squad a major overhaul is required.
With pre-season training starting on Friday no new signings have been made.
Celtic’s first pre-season friendly is on July 7 away to Shelbourne.
The SPFL Premiership campaign opens at home to Dundee on August 3 with the Champions League Play Offs on August 18/19 and 25/26.
… a gin and orange, a lemon squash and a scotch and water, please!!!
You can’t rush into these things. Besides, it takes ages for the carrier pigeon to fly to whatever golf course DD is gracing with his presence and then it has to make the return journey with DD’s yay or nay attached to his foot. 7-10 days is quite ambitious really.
Don’t water down that good Highland, Speyside, Lowland or Islay Malt Con…
There’s too much water in them as it is !!!!
If we thought last season was hard going…
The only improvement – so far – is some certainty that our manager will see out next season?
The only other certainty is that the Board will sell our best players after the WC, to get the best prices.
Their replacements?
Yes, we might get replacements.
Might. 🙁
Marcelo Saracchi should’ve been signed immediately. IMO he offers much more than KT whom I’ve really lost faith in with his negative play since his return and Saracchi’s probably on a fraction of KT’s wages. I’d go as far as to say I’d punt KT and bring in an additional LB as I’m sure we can get better value in the squad by freeing up KT’s wages and I can’t believe that’s how I feel but he’s not the same KT we sold to Arsenal.
Given the possible playing departures this summer and the state of the board even though one of the biggest culprits (Lawwell of course) has gone, it’s impossible to be optimistic just now.
HUNT THE BOARD and ONE large shareholder who thinks he’s the owner.
Text and mail him messages about those awful golfing terms that golfers don’t talk of……YIPS and SHANKS and he’ll soon be running for cover, just be careful of the OUT OF BOUNDS Dermot, you absolute TWAT!