It has been a quiet summer for the Bhoys, but they are now starting to make progress.
O’Neill wants Iheanacho and Saracchi back
According to the Celtic boss himself, talks are now ongoing over bringing back last season’s striker Kelechi Iheanacho,
Saracchi was an important deputy for Kieran Tierney, who has had plenty of injury issues over the years.
Tierney largely stayed fit last season, but his minutes were wisely managed throughout the season.The Uruguayan full-back played a part in that, and Celtic were said to have made an early bid, but the player’s agent has denied that claim.
Nevertheless, O’Neill now says talks are ongoing over a permanent deal, and the player is reportedly keen, although there is talk of rival interest from Argentine club Estudiantes.
Celtic’s transfer strategy continues to baffle
Moving for Iheanacho and Saracchi is fine. Celtic can sign a striker they know they can rely on for free, and a left-back who can be a reliable deputy, likely for a couple of million.
Those are gimmes for Celtic, especially when you consider the amount of business they need to do this summer. But what were they doing for all those weeks before a single deal was done?
Celtic could have signed Saracchi weeks ago and had him in for the start of pre-season.
With Iheanacho, O’Neill wants him to have a full season and for him to be fit and ready for the new season, given he had some fitness struggles amid a lack of football prior to his Celtic arrival last season.
Despite that, the Bhoys did not re-sign him prior to his contract running out, and while they want to sign him now, they will not do so before their pre-season trip to Portugal, as O’Neill has confirmed.
That means Iheanacho will arrive – if he does – without the pre-season O’Neill wanted him to have, and you have to question the logic of that.
These are two deals Celtic will have known O’Neill wanted, but they have allowed time to pass without getting business done.
The Hoops fans will be pleased to see business being worked on at this point, and they will definitely be relieved, but the club cannot seem to get away from this unorganised reputation, and they are not helping themselves.