Celtic fans will feel lighter on their feet in the last few days following a period of frustration regarding the lack of transfer incomings at Parkhead.
This window has been difficult to get excited about as a fan, which I am myself. However, there is finally movement on that front that could signal new additions for Brendan Rodgers to work with.
Patience is a virtue that has been tested to the hilt among the fanbase. Usually, one or two early arrivals whet the appetite for more, but this time, there hasn’t been much communication to feed off until now!
It feels like Celtic are about to burst into life in the market, and several names have been identified as targets that Rodgers could look to push through as his squad begins to take shape.
Celtic finally make advances in the transfer market
The mood among the Celtic support was jubilant after the Bhoys brought home the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup last campaign. Nevertheless, nobody wanted that feeling to fade into insignificance as a result of delayed transfer action.
While Euro 2024 and Copa America have come and gone, the situation did feel a little stale until last week, when news broke that Rodgers had lined up Kasper Schmeichel to become his number-one goalkeeper.
With his medical imminent, there is every chance the Denmark international could be the first arrival of the window, if he isn’t beaten to the punch by fellow stopper Viljami Sinisalo.
On the books at Aston Villa, Sinisalo is now said to be close to joining Celtic after an excellent spell on loan at Exeter City last term. Seemingly part of a succession plan, both clubs are discussing a fee for the Finland-capped stopper.
Paulo Bernardo has left Benfica’s pre-season training base amid speculation he could be headed back to Glasgow. Talks continue over a prospective move, and it remains to be seen if he will rejoin the club while they tour the United States.
The Portugal Under-21 international was a valuable depth option in midfield last term and has potential to claim a starting slot if Celtic can solicit an agreement for the 22-year-old. The same goes for Adam Idah, another familiar name in the frame after his exploits last term.
After leaving for Genk, Hyeongyu Oh has paved the way for a new striking arrival. Rodgers has made it clear he wants Idah back in the building, and there haven’t been mentions of another centre-forward on the radar.
Positively, a new winger looks to be on the agenda. Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri indicated Celtic have been in dialogue with Royal Antwerp concerning left-sided Michel-Ange Balikwisha. Further conversations are expected to occur later this week, so keep his name in your sights.
The mood at Parkhead is lifting amid recent transfer activity
Celtic supporters aren’t naive; they know that time and patience are needed in negotiations and that some deals will be more challenging to conclude than others.
Nevertheless, there was a slight lull over the last couple of weeks due to how dull the window had become, offset by a lack of quantifiable evidence in the media that the club were making transfer advances.
Either way, the window is now coming to life. Plates are finally starting to spin, which can only bode well ahead of the campaign getting underway competitively.
Coinciding with the week Celtic head Stateside, there is reason to marry the two together and presume the club will try to get recruits on the plane to participate in the tour. Several positions need to be addressed, and it looks like Rodgers is some way down the line to meeting these demands.
Hopefully, the complexion of his squad will change between now and the Scottish Premiership opener against Kilmarnock in early August, giving him the platform to go on and claim further silverware!
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