The 3 positions Celtic should have addressed in the transfer window

Celtic’s summer transfer window activity culminated in the club scrambling to get some last-minute deals done.

Luis Palma, Nat Phillips and Paulo Bernardo all signed late in the window, to be added alongside the earlier arrivals of Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Marco Tilio, Odin Holm, Yang Hyun-jung and Kwon Hyeok-kyu.

Fans are happy with the majority of the players signed, with many of those already having featured in the Hoops so far this season having shown some impressive qualities in the early stages.

However, some still felt that more could have been done to add first-team quality and ready the team for European competitions, with fans still clamouring for a new left-back and a new goalkeeper.

Will Celtic address these positions in January and why weren’t they dealt with during the summer window? Here are just a few guesses as to why:

Left-back

Greg Taylor’s poor pre-season and underwhelming form towards the tail-end of last season and into this campaign has led to fans calling for a new, European quality left-back to be signed.

Greg Taylor wasn’t exactly poor in last season’s Champions League campaign but his lack of real pace and physicality leads to him being targeted with wave after wave of attacks by Europe’s elite attackers.

Celtic had reportedly registered interest in Nantes left-back Quentin Merlin but nothing substantial came out over a move for the Frenchman following the initial reports. Following this link, there were no other possible left-backs quoted throughout the remainder of the transfer window despite reports that it was a position Celtic were looking to improve upon.

If a signing was to come in during the January window, it would most likely be a six-month loan and this leads us to believe that signing a replacement for Taylor may be a problem to be addressed next summer. That is unless, much like he did under Ange Postecoglou, Taylor can raise his game to a higher level again.

Goalkeeper

Joe Hart has enjoyed a solid start to his domestic season but the doubts still linger amongst supporters as to whether he is the main man for Celtic between the posts for European games. High-profile mistakes last-season in the Champions League group stages as well as links to a world-class goalkeeper in Dominik Livakovic only heightened fans’ hopes for Celtic to sign a new keeper this summer.

However, Rodgers has reaffirmed his trust in the experienced former England number 1 and has made some early tactical tweaks to Hart’s playing style, urging him to hurry the ball out of danger rather than passing short from the back and that can benefit him heavily in the Champions League.

Third-choice striker

Another position Celtic were rumoured to be looking to add to was in the striker department. Whilst Kyogo and Oh are both great players who can do what they are asked to at a high level, they have both suffered injuries during their time at Celtic.

Kyogo’s shoulder has been a consistent problem for him in his time in Glasgow and Oh has seen injuries recurring in his nine months at Parkhead.

Adding another option might have been a wise move and Mathias Kvistgaarden of Brondby seemed like he could have been the man with Celtic seeing an opening bid knocked back for the Dane’s services.

Celtic eventually opted against signing the 21-year-old but this could be something they look to reassess come January.

JAMES MCKENZIE