Celtic manager Neil Lennon has expressed his satisfaction with the club’s transfer dealings this month as the January window nears its conclusion, despite fans being livid at the lack of business done.
Midfielder Ismaila Soro became the Hoops’ second signing of the window earlier this week after the mid-January arrival of striker Patryk Klimala and Lennon seems content with those two additions to his squad.
Speaking to celticfc.net, he said: “If I don’t do anything else I’ll be happy. I have a great squad with real quality in it. We’ve got a couple of players in and we’ve streamlined the squad a little bit. Patryk Klimala will add a little bit of firepower and pace to the attack which is what we’re needing.” He concluded: “We’ve got two good players and if it stops there then great.”
Klimala came from Jagiellonia Bialystok in his native Poland after scoring seven goals in 17 league games this season and, ahead of Wednesday night’s clash at St Johnstone, has made two substitute appearances at Parkhead without yet scoring. His arrival adds further competition at centre-forward, where Odsonne Edouard and Leigh Griffiths have already scored more than 20 goals between them this term.
Soro’s arrival provides another defensive or central midfield option along with Scott Brown, Nir Bitton and Olivier Ntcham. The Ivorian is unlikely to add much of a goal threat – he has scored once in 103 games in his club career – but he has been lauded for his ball-winning ability and distribution. Oliver Birch of Read Celtic wrote that the 21-year-old is “a bundle of energy who is good on the ball and has the ability to jink past players in midfield after dispossessing them”.
In terms of outgoings, the sale of Scott Sinclair to Preston after a 62-goal Celtic career was disappointing but he had barely featured at Parkhead this season, while the loan exits of Lee O’Connor, Jonathan Afolabi, Jack Hendry and Eboue Kouassi were all justified given that the former two haven’t even played for the first team while Kouassi didn’t feature for the Hoops this season and Hendry played a paltry 11 minutes.
The arrivals of Klimala and Soro reinforce positions where Celtic seemed a bit light at the start of the month, while the loan departures of several fringe players will hopefully give them a better chance of first team football elsewhere. Notably, the Hoops have made two signings this month whereas Premiership title rivals Rangers haven’t brought in anyone new, yet it is Steven Gerrard’s side who are chasing rather than leading in the title race.
Celtic still seem under-resourced at centre-back and on the right of midfield. With Hatem Abd Elhamed playing mostly at right-back under Lennon and currently injured, the Hoops have just three senior central defenders. Meanwhile, James Forrest’s only right winger alternatives are Jonny Hayes (who has been played chiefly at left-back this season) and Marian Shved (35 minutes of game-time in 2019/20).
If Forrest and the three centre-backs can stay fit and perform solidly to the season’s end, however, Lennon is right to look back with satisfaction at the business that Celtic have done in January despite dissent from many of the club’s fans in the replies to this tweet, with the Hoops well-stocked in most positions and on course for a ninth successive title.
Celtic fans, what did you make of Lennon’s verdict on the January transfer window? Are you happy with the business done by the club this month or do they still need further additions? Join in the discussion by commenting below!
About the Author
