SPFL: Celtic Aiming to Bolster Squad

With Ange Postecoglou’s side sitting in 2nd place, six points adrift of rivals Rangers, the club have already been very active in the January transfer window picking up 4 players.

Having already have managed in Japan, Postecoglou knew of the talent on offer there, with the manager picking up striker, Kyogo Furuhashi, last summer. Earlier this month, the club also announced the signings of highly rated striker, Daizen Maeda, and midfielders Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate. All three of these signings are slated to become starters as “The Hoops” look to regain the league title. If these three new Japanese stars are anything like the player Furuhashi is and can have the impact and success that he has had, then Celtic fans are in for a real treat as manager Ange Postecoglou looks to bring back the success that the club have been accustomed to over the past years.

Shunsuke Nakamura battling it out against European giants, AC Milan in 2007. Celtic are becoming a club where Japanese players seem to flourish

The club have also picked up young, promising Irish striker, Johnny Kenny from Sligo Rovers, fighting off interest from other top British clubs. The 18-year-old will join up with the Glasgow side’s B team.

Tom Rogic is a player that the Hoops boss has managed to bring the best out of, getting him back to the form that Celtic fans can remember him having when the team won their historic quadruple treble after having a disappointing 2020/21 season. The Celts were rumoured to have been in talks with a similar player to that of Tom Rogic’s style, in the player of ex-Birmingham playmaker Riley McGree. However, the Australian is said to have snubbed the Glasgow side for English championship side Middlesbrough.

Having already have gotten 4 in the door already this window and being lined up for another few, including the permanent signings of loanee’s Cameron Carter Vickers and Filipe Jota, Celtic fans have been taken by surprise by how active the club has been in this mid- season transfer window.

One other player the club have been linked with is 23-year-old Iranian forward, Mehdi Ghayedi. Hoops boss, Ange Postecoglou stated before in an interview that Iran is very much an unknown quantity in terms of footballing talent, and it is a market that he is keen to look at.

With the Glasgow side already have been hit with numerous injuries this season, it is clear to see why the club are aiming to add to their squad.

League leaders Rangers have been looking very impressive and have not been showing any signs of slowing down. The rescheduled Glasgow Derby for February 2nd will be a very interesting affair, with Celtic needing a win to reduce their city rival’s lead at the top of the table and Rangers looking to extend the gap.

Celtic could be dealt with a massive blow going into the game, however. They could potentially be without the Japanese quartet of Kyogo Furuhashi, Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi, with all four of the players in contention to get called up for Japan, who have vital World Cup qualifiers around the same time of the Glasgow Derby.

There have been initial talks that Celtic may ask for this game to be postponed due to having missing key players.