Celtic told that there is ‘already frustration’ from the fans towards a summer signing

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The pressure and expectations at Celtic can be unforgiving and even harsh at times.

Even though Celtic are dominating on the domestic circuit, it doesn’t mean that players, especially new signings, are given more time to settle in and produce their magic.

Celtic’s 2025 summer transfer window was interesting, because of the outside noise, but also of the two contrasting players the club brought in.

Whilst one winger, in Sebastian Tounekti, has started like a house on fire and can’t stop winning Man of the Match awards, the same can’t be said for his counterpart, Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers sets Michel-Ange Balikwisha record straight as Celtic winger’s position made clear

Celtic fans are getting ‘frustrated’ with Michel-Ange Balikwisha

On Saturday, Celtic were held to a 0-0 draw by Hibernian, with Balikwisha coming off the bench for Tounekti in the 74th minute.

Former Hibernian player Tam McManus told PLZ Soccer about the lack of impact the new signing had on the game, and in general, since his arrival.

McManus explained there is already a sense of ‘frustration’ from the Celtic Park faithful towards Balikwisha, who is, so far, playing ‘too safe’ and proving that he doesn’t have a trick in him.

“Balikwisha came on, he was poor again,” stated McManus. “You can sense a wee bit of frustration from the Celtic fans already towards him. He’s not doing it. No, (he hasn’t got a trick). He is too safe.

“As a wide player, if you’re one v one, just go at him. He seems to be just coming back inside. I don’t know if he’s lacking confidence at the minute.

“You do that as a forward player or a wide player. If you haven’t got confidence, you’re not trying to make a mistake. And he needs to be more positive, I think, going forward.”

Celtic’s substitutions made them ‘weaker’ against Hibernian

Celtic did their best work in the first half, and in truth, they should have scored, including Kelechi Iheanacho hitting the woodwork.

But Brendan Rodgers’ substitutions have been questioned, with Paulo Bernardo, James Forrest, Balikwisha, Benjamin Nygren, and Johnny Kenny all coming into the fold.

Looking at it with his Hibernian glasses on, McManus admitted, ‘for the first time in a wee while’, he didn’t think Celtic would score towards the latter stages of the game, because of how ‘weak’ the subs were.

“I thought Celtic, in the first half, should have been two or three up,” said McManus. “No doubt about that.

“Second half, I thought Celtic’s substitutions made them weaker. The last 20 minutes, usually, you look at a game, you go, ‘Celtic will break them down and Celtic will score.’

“I never got that feeling with Celtic, for the first time in a wee while, I thought, ‘I fancy Hibs to see this out here’, and they did, because they are bringing, no disrespect, guys like Johnny Kenny and James Forrest on.

“You are just thinking, it’s not like for like now with Celtic, they’re weaker when they bring the substitutions on, for me.”