The six summer Deadline Day signings made by Celtic are threatening to under perform the January deals completed by Michael Nicholson.
Julian Araujo, Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu made a slight impact on last season but it all ended with Martin O’Neill abandoning them to put his trust on the players he inherited.
Araujo was briefly a fan favourite, Cvancara popped away a penalty at Ibrox with Adamu scoring a late equaliser against Dundee to keep Celtic in the Scottish Cup.
It is early days but it is looking very ominous for the six players brought in ahead of the UEFA transfer deadline on September 2.
One of them hasn’t been seen at Lennoxtown, another hasn’t played a minute of action, there is another that managed 10 minutes at Ibrox and has been ditched ever since.
It is a horrific record of recruitment. It is recruitment for the sake of it and leaves the club with a fourth successive disastrous transfer window to deal with.
ANOTHER DISASTROUS RECRUITMENT RUN FROM CELTIC
Sam Johnstone: Signed on UEFA transfer Deadline Day and registered in the Europa League squad.
He has played two full matches, although not to blame directly for any of the goals lost at Ibrox his performance was one of nervousness throughout.
Jordon Lotomba: Feyenoord were delighted to release the full back with Celtic picking up the contract on Deadline Day. So far he has played 10 minutes at left-back in the League Cup defeat at Ibrox.
Oliver Sorenson: Has been the most involved on the six late signings but that is hardly an endorsement. Starting against St Johnstone and Ferencvaros he cane off the bench away to St Mirren. It looks ominous after being substituted at half-time against Ferencvaros that he missed out on the squad for Sunday’s Glasgow Derby.
Shim Mheuka: The only arrival to bring some positivity. His five appearances off the bench have totalled 30 minutes playing time, coming on as last substitute on Sunday after 88 minutes was frankly ridiculous. Not included in Europa League squad.
Joel van den Berg: The only post LASK permanent signing, it doesn’t look promising for a project from PSV Eindhoven arriving into a crisis. After being listed twice as a substitute he has missed the last two matches and was pictured in a moon-boot on Sunday. Not included in Europa League squad.
Landon Emenalo: The greatest mystery of all. It is believed that he hasn’t been at Lennoxtown since his signing on September. What club would sign an injured 18-year-old without a minute of senior football to cover for the established international with a track record of being able to complete 90 minutes.
Jokes over, show us the actual team.
— BatesyBhoy ??????? (@BatesyBhoy1967) September 20, 2026
WORSE THAN JANUARY 2026?
The six post LASK signings have been a complete waste of time with the exception of Mheuka.
Why his appearances have been so rationed is hard to explain. Just like the decision to leave him out of the squad for the Europa League.
A new manager will at least have a goal threat to work with which is more than Brendan Rodgers was left with a year ago.
The other signings look destined to be remembered like Junior Adamu, Joel Mveuka and Ben Arthur.
Joe your article sums up perfectly the great job Nicholson is doing, we’re so lucky to have a first class CEO and making Celtic a world class operation…call me a pessimist but can wait till the rat face b*****d is ran out the door.
Spot on.
You speak for the majority of Celtic fans.
Mute Mike must go!
I think it’s a case of Celtic FC not being able to recruit the high standard of players now unlike in the past where it was a badge of honour to sign and play for Celtic FC ? The reason being the attitude and negligence of this board ! Signing for Celtic under this board can seriously damage a player’s reputation and standing in the game ! A board who undermines managers coaching staff and the team and club in general without a single care or consideration in doing so ! Working out exactly why the board have this damaging attitude would be a great place to start in the recovery ? There has to be answers as to why they have this damaging set of policies for Celtic FC . How can the administrative body of Celtic want to oversee chaos and failure and discontent without explaining to the fans how they intend to fix them all … permanently ? Or explain in detail why this has all been allowed to happen and fester over a number of seasons now ? What’s not to like about continued success and harmony and club wellbeing ?
Lucan can just go up to The Royal Infirmary on Saturday night where he might be able to offer some Petershill Juniors or St.Roch’d Junior players with broken ankles a contract at Celtic FC…
It’s what he does innit…
And they’d fit his downsizing model as well !
That seems to be the established recruitment ‘strategy’ for transfer windows:
bring in several loan players just before the window slams shut.
It fills out the squad.
There is minimal risk with loan players – who may or may not actually get a game.
Plus, it ‘might’ make the Board appear like they’ve been busy seeking players…? [or not]
The guy Adamu cost Celtic £450,000 for a loan fee in January.
Let that sink in.
At the same time the best winger in the league, Calvin Millar was available for half that.
Millar is currently playing very well at left back.