Celtic’s January transfer window was a highly-anticipated one.
As we entered 2026, Wilfried Nancy and Paul Tisdale were still at Celtic, but the pair’s sacking less than a week into the window threw the club’s plans into disarray.
Upon Martin O’Neill’s return, the club literally ‘discarded’ targets, moving on with a makeshift recruitment staff partially fronted by Shaun Maloney.
Fans were made to wait until three weeks into the window, when Tomas Cvancara filled the much-needed striker gap in Celtic’s squad. Prior to Nancy’s sacking, Julian Araujo had been loaned from Bournemouth.
Deadline day brought three more loan signings, and Celtic may not be done there. Sir Rod Stewart has offered his take on things…
Is this Celtic’s strongest starting XI now that the transfer window has closed?
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Rod Stewart on Celtic’s transfer business
Often a marmite figure among Celtic fans, music legend Stewart is rarely quiet about his opinions on Celtic.
A video of him celebrating Nancy’s sacking went viral, whilst his political views often tend to draw criticism from elements of the Parkhead faithful.
READ MORE: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could have Celtic medical ‘today’ with Hoops talks advanced
Speaking on talkSPORT with Alan Brazil, the conversation with Stewart inevitably reached Celtic’s winter window.
The 81-year-old said: “Our signings – and I think I’m going to upset a lot of our supporters – I think our signings have been pretty good.
“To sign a player on loan with an option to buy, which I think two of them are, then if they’re no good, you kick them out, and if they are good, you buy them.”
On O’Neill’s comments about taking the job, Stewart said: “No, I don’t think he wants it.
“I think he’s aged a bit since he’s been looking after Celtic, so I don’t blame him if he wants to pack it in. He wants to go out in glory, I think.
“I think we’re still gonna win [the league].”
On the idea of O’Neill being added to the board, he said: “Oh, that would be wonderful. But he’s only being honest with the way he feels.”
Which three new signings should Martin O’Neill register for the later stages of the Europa League?
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could become Celtic’s sixth winter signing
Just hours after Stewart’s comments, it emerged that Celtic’s sixth signing could be coming sooner rather than later.
According to James Savundra of Sky Sports, Celtic have reached advanced talks with Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with a Thursday medical possible.
35-time England international Oxlade-Chamberlain has been a free agent since leaving Besiktas in the summer, and is currently training with Arsenal.
And the next step of his career looks set to be in Glasgow, with the deal nearing completion.
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