Two days after winning the League Cup Final Brendan Rodgers flew to Dublin to meet up with Dermot Desmond.
Alongside the glow and congratulations from winning the first trophy of the season there was important transfer business to discuss, the window would be opening in a fortnight’s time.
All clubs like to claim that Recruitment is a 12 month business but there is a special focus twice a year with the January window a special, slightly freaky period with limited prospects but the opportunity to make a significant difference.
Celtic looked to be in a very favourable position, strong domestically and making progress in Europe for the first time in over a decade, coinciding with a new look to the Champions League which was paying out significantly more than previously.
Rodgers travelled to Dublin a week after the 0-0 draw away to Dinamo Zagreb, the European target was fairly clear with a home win over struggling YB Bern guaranteeing progress and at least one more home match taking the total to five money-spinners. Maybe more.
After a season and a half and three transfer windows the manager’s stamp is on the squad but is far from complete.
The summer 2023 transfer window had drained resources and added nothing to the squad, since then two more windows had added some quality and depth to the handover from Ange Postecoglou.
Rodgers knows the positions that needed strengthened, Paul Tisdale had been recruited as Head of Football Operations as a modern infrastructure is put in place to deliver at every level.
News that Rodgers had discussed the needs for January was reassuring to supporters, drastic surgery wasn’t needed but work had to be done.
Wingers Daizen Maeda and Nicolas Kuhn were flying but beyond that only veteran James Forrest was of the quality required, at least one trusted winger was needed.
Left-back continued to be a mystery/issue. Greg Taylor was running out of contract with Alex Valle only on loan, later we were to find that Barcelona had a recall option.
Beyond that there was a belief that the club was now pro-active, when players like Matt O’Riley are inevitably sold plans are already advanced to bring in a successor, preferably signed before the inevitable departure.
3 minutes
Monday was a down day with family, then on Tuesday I flew to Dublin for a meeting with Dermot, Michael, Chris and the staff.
We were just talking about January and what we normally do. You don’t wait for the future to plan for it.
That’s been the great aspect of being at this club.
We have a board and a major shareholder who are so invested in the club, the success of it, how they lead it.
You only need to look over the last couple of decades and how the club has been run and organised, which is at the very highest level of any business but there’s also a real passion for the team clearly.
There’s always that great level of intelligence on our board and expertise and experience. We try to use it to the best of our advantage.
So it’s always about planning, looking forwards. Obviously the key people talking about it is important.
Kieran Tierney will stay at #Arsenal for the final six months of his contract to be part of a Premier League title push before returning to #Celtic in the summer. Pre-contract agreed https://t.co/gadyzG8fYK
— Mike McGrath (@mcgrathmike) January 30, 2025
A look at the bench against Aston Villa highlighted a club short on quality. The depth available in midfield isn’t there is any other area of the park.
Kyogo Furuhashi has left for Rennes leaving Adam Idah as the only striker, Daizen Maeda is there for emergency use with Johnny Kenny and Daniel Cummings needing playing time elsewhere.
Valle has been recalled with Liam Scales the back up at left-back except he is required in central defence as the third choice.
Celtic’s Starting XI remains strong but Rodgers likes to emphasise that it is a squad game, the team that starts isn’t the one that finishes.
Taylor can start matches, as can Idah but there is a period of three matches in seven days before the Champions League Play Off tie, keeping them going 90 minutes three times will have consequences.
Rodgers needs his squad as fresh as possible. On the back of three victories before the Play Offs he’d probably like to rest six or seven players for the in-between fixture at home to Dundee United.
With four days to go an awful lot of work has still to be done, the August Champions League qualifiers must be a consideration to build on this season’s progress.
By the 20th of February Celtic will have faced highly demanding matches, the manager knows what is required but it is going to take some dramatic late business to emerge from this transfer window stronger than on January 1.
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ITK Kerrydale Street poster gives detailed update on Celtic’s Kvistgaaren transfer talks
Despite the age of multiple social media platforms there are certain Message Board functions that remain priceless with transfer activity for Celtic fans firmly focussed on Matthias Kvistgaarden of Brondby.
_7_ on Kerrydale Street is worth noting, like a handful he posts selectively and has a track record for being close to the transfer chat and activity.
Initially it seemed like the Kvistgaarden chat was a tired reheat from previous windows when Celtic were linked with the young Danish striker but the transfer of Kyogo Furuhashi has brought fresh urgency to the situation.
Beyond some 2 plus 2 speculation over out of favour English based strikers like Evan Ferguson and Danny Ings there has been virtually no new strikers linked with a move to Celtic.
From Denmark over the last few days there has been some substance added to the links to Kvistgaarden, on the Kerrydale Street Message Board _7_ has earned the reputation as someone that knows what is going on.
UPDATE: Celtic are in talks with Brondby over a possible deal for striker Mathias Kvistgaarden.
It’s understood the Danish club are holding out for a record fee in excess of £10m.
Kvistgaarden, 22, has been a long term target for Celtic, who are looking to replace Kyogo. https://t.co/RiZwm448d0
— Anthony Joseph (@AnthonyRJoseph) January 29, 2025
Celtic’s recent negotiating style has been to leave the completion of deals until the last minute to see if anything can be cut off the package.
That tactic looks unlikely to provide any benefits from Brondby, they know that Celtic are cash rich with a gaping hole in the squad/Starting XI caused by the sale of Kyogo.
Adam Idah’s double against Aston Villa was the perfect reply to those that have been writing him off and trashing his ability during recent weeks. Almost two months without scoring is never a good look for a Celtic striker but there are always circumstances behind those runs.
Firstly Idah has shared the striking duties with Kyogo, Nicolas Kuhn and Daizen Maeda are prolific goalscorers with Idah still drilling away a penalty in the League Cup Final and having a very significant influence on the own goal scored by YB Bern lasted week.
A year on from his debut away to Aberdeen the former Norwich man is now well aware of the realities of life as a Celtic player, as a striker playing for the hoops must be something of a dream.
John Hartson and others have said that 20 goals a season is the minimum that you should expect from a Celtic striker but these days things are a little different just one striker likely to play at a time, surrounded by wingers or supporting midfielders.
It is a long time since Martin O’Neill’s side was led by Henrik Larsson supported by Hartson or Chris Sutton.
Over recent seasons between Kyogo, Idah and Giorgos Giakoumakis Celtic have been well served by striking pairs that very rarely played at the same time.
Daizen Maeda remains an option in the background but with a few days left in the transfer window Celtic fans will be anxious for news, from whatever source that a deal for Kvistgaarden has been completed.
