When you don’t make the Celtic matchday squad for a home match against the team bottom of the SPFL Premiership it is surely time to take stock.
Oliver Sorenson, Landon Emenalo and Shim Mheuka must all be in that situation right now. As will Parma and Chelsea.
Three players sent out on loan to Celtic at the start of September and making no meaningful playing time two months later.
Few things sum up the state of Celtic better than recruitment. Nothing screams the need for a Director of Football more than the last two/four/six transfer windows.
Players come and go at at incredible rate.
Identified, signed and discarded in less than one season. Sometimes, it seems discarded in about a month.
Post-LASK signings:
??Oliver Sørensen: 236 mins
??Sam Johnstone: 540 mins
??Shim Mheuka: 80 mins
??Landon Emenalo: 39 mins
??Joël van den Berg: 0 mins
??Jordan Lotomba: 31 mins?? “World class in everything we do.” Michael Nicholson
— Paul John Dykes (@PaulJohnDykes) November 4, 2026
CELTIC LOSE OUT IN THE LOAN GAME
A year ago Hayato Inamura and Shin Yamada were in the same situation as Emenalo and Mheuka.
Signed with little enthusiasm from the manager and instantly left out of the squad for the Europa League.
Unfortunately for Celtic Inamura and Yamada were permanent signings. One dispatched back to Japan with the other out on loan for a second time and likely to return to Celtic in January.
For Emenalo and Mheuka the situation is much easier.
Chelsea sent them out to get meaningful game time for their career development.
A combined total of 119 minutes and a trip to Dingwall isn’t going to impress Xavi Alonso.
Both players are likely to be recalled in January as Chelsea look for a club that will give both players time on the pitch.
THE MIDFIELD MALFUNCTION
With Celtic’s midfield failing to function the Sorenson situation is even more puzzling.
It has been evident all season that Arne Engels hasn’t been replaced at Celtic.
Callum McGregor, Mika Baur and Ben Nygren all have their attributes but they certainly don’t perform as a unit.
Against Kilmarnock Martin O’Neill opted to select Luke McCowan and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain ahead of the Dane.
Having played in one Italian Cup match for Parma Sorenson can’t be sent out on another loan in January.
Parma have to decide whether Sorenson should continue to stagnate at Celtic or recall him for a role in the second half of their season.
As O’Neill demonstrated against Kilmarnock Sorenson, Mheuka and Emenalo are surplus to requirements.
Just like the four loan signings that he identified and brought in during the January transfer window.
Last week Michael Nicholson promised fans in Greenock more signings in January. Expectations on the quality of arrivals has never been lower.
