Martin O’Neill is comfortable with signing Landon Emenalo even though the defender is currently injured.
The Chelsea teenager was pictured at Lennoxtown three weeks ago but was only announced as a Celtic signing in the lead up to the 3-0 win over Aberdeen.
Celtic have had plenty of time to bring in a left-back to deputise and compete with Kieran Tierney.
Marcelo Saracchi was the obvious choice having filled that role last season but Michael Nicholson was unable to complete that deal. Saracchi joined Houston Dynamo.
Tierney’s injury issues are well known.
He can put in a strong, impressive 60-70 minutes and has already created two assists in three SPFL appearances.
Currently Liam Scales is being used as the Plan B left-back.
While competent in that role it leaves Celtic short in central defensive options with the largely untested Dane Murray next in line to Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty.
Signing Saracchi or similar during the summer window would have solved an obvious issue, instead Celtic are trusting their Chelsea loanee.
Emanalo has an impressive profile. By November he might be filling the Saracchi role but he won’t be playing for Celtic this month.
O’NEILL FACES DEMANDING EIGHT DAYS IN MID-SEPTEMBER
Coming shortly Celtic face two Glasgow Derbies either side of a Europa League tie against Ferencvaros.
It is a demanding schedule. Tierney seems highly unlikely to play 90 plus minutes in all three matches.
Emanalo will be watching from the stand while trying to get over an injury and preparing for his first ever senior appearance.
Asked about the left-back position O’Neill (3 minutes 20 seconds ) said:
Now, we’ve got little Emenalo coming in, who’s signed for us. He’s picked up an injury at this moment, but I’m prepared to wait a couple of weeks for him. And I think that with a little bit of luck, I think that he’ll be ready in a few weeks’ time.
He can play left-back and he can play left-sided centre-midfield as well, too, if it comes to the point. I’m pleased. I was prepared to take that chance.
I think that he and Shim Mheuka will do fine. They’re coming up together, they know each other very well, and it’ll be nice. I thought there were little things that Shim can do and help us.
Mheuka looked fit and confident when he replaced Camilo Duran in the 75th minute. Celtic also have Kasper Hogh and Callum Osmand coming back from injury.
Left-back is a very different story.
With five substitutes available full-backs should be getting substituted fairly regularly, perhaps every third match.
Tierney is without doubt first choice left-back and a real quality performer.
However he just doesn’t appear to have the strength to play 90 minutes which makes a reliable left-back option essential.
Emenalo’s injury issue isn’t a new development.
Yet for some reason Celtic have decided to trust in the Chelsea teenager rather than bring in a tried and tested left-back happy to take on the Saracchi role.
