With Martin O’Neill returning to Parkhead for the 2026/27 Scottish Premiership campaign the troubles that have been brewing at Celtic remain unresolved.
Brendan Rodgers battled against it, delivered success domestically and progress in Europe but was pushed into resignation 11 months ago by the forces inside the club.
While the rest of football evolves around analysis and into the digital age Celtic wants to stand still. Stay on top in Scotland but without winning a knock-out match in a UEFA competition in 22 years.
With the season barely a month old Celtic passed up a golden opportunity to return to the Champions League. This time it was to LASK Linz, a year ago it was Kairat Almaty. Joining the list that also features Midtjylland, Ferencvaros, Cluj, AEK Athens, Malmo and Malmo. Celtic fans know that list off by heart. Eight failures in the last 10 attempts, six in a row under four different managers while the club posts profits unheard of in the world of football.
This summer Celtic made a transfer profit of around £15m. They gambled on making it through to the Champions League, the jackpot went elsewhere, perhaps to the best online casinos Australia, already the stories are emerging about plans for January. Jam Tomorrow isn’t really a strategy.
Few football fans given the length and breadth of the United Kingdom will not have heard of Arsenal starlet Max Dowman. The highly rated young teenager ha already made quite the name for himself at the Emirates Stadium, and manager Mikel Arteta has already trusted the Chelmsford born 16 year old to make an impact in the Premier League on seven occasions. Having first made his debut for them in the 2025/26 campaign, he is already the owner of winners’ medals from the Premier League and FA Community Shield, with runners up medals being gained in the EFL Cup and the Champions League.
Big things are expected from the England youth international and it is now being reported that Arsenal are very interested in weighing up whether or not a loan deal in the New Year transfer window would be the best next step for him. It is suggested that up to 12 clubs have already expressed their interest in making such a deal, and O’Neill has offered up Celtic as one of the potential options should the Londoners wish to explore it further.
On paper Celtic would be a very good option. Arsenal will have few concerns about his ability to manage the pressure and expectations associated with the club, after all he made his debut aged just 15 years and 302 days and is now a regular first team squad member. He is also in the record books as the youngest ever Premier League goalscorer in history, following his effort in a 2-0 victory over Everton last March.
His talent and potential is not in doubt, but Arsenal are embarking on their first title defence campaign in decades and Arteta knows that Dowman’s game time will be limited this season, and to reach his full potential and not stall, he needs regular action and game minutes in a managed way.
With plenty of football still to be played before the next transfer window arrives, this is potentially a deal to keep an eye out for over the next few months.
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