There is just over a day left in Celtic’s summer transfer window and the amount of time Rodgers has to pick out his signings is swiftly dwindling. Celtic have been good at getting their business done early in the last few transfer windows with Ange Postecoglou completely shifting Celtic’s signing philosophy, however, it seems like it is going to be a busy deadline day at Parkhead.
Multiple names have been touted with joining the club and Luis Palma has just completed his move to Celtic. Paulo Bernardo, Nat Phillips and Sydney van Hooijdonk, son of former Celt Pierre, have also been linked with the club.
Deadline day has provided a mixed bag of results for Celtic over the last few years and here is the best and the worst of Celtic’s last minute transfer activity.
One of the Best – 2020/21
Initially this trio of signings seemed to be a desperate attempt from Ange Postecoglou to flesh out his squad with a couple of options to help aid his Celtic rebuild, but the three signings were instrumental figures in Ange’s successful term at Celtic.
Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers signed on loan deals from Benfica and Tottenham Hotspur respectively, both loan spells being turned into permanent moves the following summer.
Along with the pair of loanees came Giorgos Giakoumakis, who joined the club for £2.1million off the back of being the Eredivisie top scorer at relegated VVV-Venlo.
Giakoumakis, although a backup player for most of his successful spell in Glasgow, ingratiated himself with the Celtic support, providing big goals and big moments in Kyogo Furuhashi’s absence, which proved that he was a reliable deputy to the Japanese international whenever he was called upon.
One of the Worst – 2019/20
In amongst one of the most catastrophic Celtic seasons in recent memory came one of the worst transfer windows in modern times; one which was initially thought to have included some great business.
Fans swiftly realised it was far from that and, in a window that included the disastrous signing of Shane Duffy, the two loan signings who joined him at the club could well have rivalled the Irish international in the flop stakes.
Diego Laxalt signed on loan from AC Milan, arriving with considerable pedigree. Expectations were high, with the Uruguayan international expected to hit the ground running, but he did the exact opposite.
Celtic followed this up by signing Jonjoe Kenny in the January of that season on a deadline day loan from Everton. By the end of the season, Celtic fans were happy to see the back of the Englishman.
One of the Best – 2010/11
The 2010/11 season seen the arrivals of some players who would become club stalwarts, remaining in the Celtic side for years to come.
On deadline day in August, Celtic would sign Fraser Forster on loan as well as completing the signing of Anthony Stokes from Hibernian, both of whom would make big impacts for Celtic.
In January, Kris Commons joined the club on deadline day and as much as he might have fallen out of favour with fans due to his punditry, his knack for popping up with big goals in important games cannot be understated.
One of the Worst – 2011/12
Celtic won the league in the 2011/12 season but missed out on both domestic trophies. However, some of the signings in that season should definitely come under scrutiny, with the picks of the bunch coming on deadline days.
Celtic signed Mo Bangura from Swedish side AIK for £2.2million as well as grabbing Badr El Khaddouri on loan from Ukrainian side Dynamo Kyiv, and both flattered to deceive with the striker Bangura failing to score in 11 appearances for Celtic.
In January, the club signed Pawel Brozek on loan from Trabzonspor with the Pole having a forgettable spell at the club.
JAMES MCKENZIE
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