Martin O’Neill has opened up on Celtic’s failed attempts to sign Gvidas Gineitis and another un-named transfer target.
By the profile given it is a fair bet that the other target was Ermin Mahmic from Slovan Liberec.
Over the course of the transfer window Celtic brought in 10 players.
Five on permanent deals, four in on loan and Jordan Lotomba until the end of the season.
Gineitis was linked with Celtic from late in June.
A powerful midfielder with three seasons of Serie A experience, for most fans Gineitis seemed like a replacement for Arne Engels.
Speculation continued up until Wednesday but the Lithuanian finished the transfer window as a Torino player.
O’NEILL ON GVIDAS GINEITIS
During his Friday broadcast media conference O’Neill was giving little away about missed transfer targets.
Later, speaking to newspapers the Celtic boss opened up a little more.
Asked about Gineitis the Daily Record reports O’Neill saying:
We had more than an interest in him at the time. But it’s all very well having an interest and people feeling that they might want to come, you still have to negotiate with the club. That was a major thing at the end of the day.
When clubs become adamant about a certain price for a player – and we are not in the market for overpriced players like in England – you have to deal with it as best as you can.
If you feel there is a price for a player, sure you can negotiate, but if there is not really any phenomenal negotiations, then you need to do other things.
We had an interest in another young lad who I think will be a brilliant player. I loved him and I thought we could do it, but the club sent him elsewhere.
On August 29 Mahmic joined Turkish side Corum with the fee varying between 5-7m euros.
Over the course of the transfer window Celtic brought in three midfielders as Engels, Reo Hatate and Paulo Bernardo moved out.
Mika Baur was first to arrive. On Tuesday Oliver Sorenson joined on loan from Parma followed by Joel van den Berg.
With Callum McGregor, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Ben Nygren starting against Aberdeen in midweek O’Neill isn’t short on midfield options.
Celtic’s fixture schedule over the next five months is very demanding with full use required across the entire squad.
Post transfer window Celtic face three testing away matches at St Mirren, St Johnstone and Ibrox.
I hope the three midfielders will rise to the challenge. There is just a nagging feeling the two who got away were readier and maybe better quality at least at the moment.
Sarachi has to be the worst decision over the transfer window.
At least we have strikers in which has been a problem since January 2025. I don’t share the concern about the other defence positions except cover at left back.
The lack of cover at left back is going to see us going back into the free agent market again before Xmas,of that I’ve no doubt.Absurd decision to let the Saracchi one slide.