The season may not have ended yet, but Celtic already know they will have to be busy in the summer transfer window.
Celtic have been extremely disappointing this season and regardless of whether it is Martin O’Neill or a new manager in the Parkhead dugout in August 2026, change is needed.
Transfer recruitment has been a huge talking point and in an attempt to help the Celtic board, we have identified every position that needs a signing.
- READ MORE: Celtic can never afford to have a season like this again after Scotland’s Champions League blow
The 2026 transfer window is still months away, but what is the number one position Celtic need to improve this summer?📝
Tell us why you picked that position
Goalkeeper
No surprises about where we start first. Kasper Schmeichel is finished at the top level and has been in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons recently.
Schmeichel is out of contract at the end of the season and is 39 years old. It’s time for a younger, fresher face to come into the fold and become a long-term mainstay in the side.
Centre-back
This position has caused so many issues for Celtic this year. Losing Cameron Carter-Vickers for the season was a huge blow and, despite a solid start, cracks are beginning to appear in the Auston Trusty and Liam Scales partnership.
Dane Murray isn’t good enough and Benjamin Arthur looks like a wasted loan having not played a single minute. We can’t expect Stephen Welsh to return either, so we could be looking at two to three centre-backs being needed.
Left-back
This will heavily depend on the future of Marcelo Saracchi and where he ends up.
Celtic face competition for Saracchi’s signature on a permanent basis, but he may want to go somewhere where he isn’t second in the pecking order. Kieran Tierney will be here so a rotation option would only be required.
Centre midfielder
We’ve discussed how Celtic’s midfield is too one-dimensional and that it needs a shake-up.
Reo Hatate, Paulo Bernardo, Arne Engels and even Luke McCowan could be contenders to leave, meaning wholesale changes would have to be made.
A brute enforcer who allows more creative players should be a priority and this summer should be used as an opportunity to balance the middle of the park with creativity and physicality.
Why has Paulo Bernardo struggled to make an impact since joining Celtic permanently?
Let us know below
Wingers
Yes, we’re still looking for some proven wingers to join.
All of the current options are either too inconsistent or have failed to make any sort of impact.
Daizen Maeda seems like he can’t wait to leave and while he hasn’t been up to standards, it will be a big hole to fill.
Left and right-sided wingers are required, which could mean two or three top-quality ones.
Striker
Aside from Adam Idah, at a push, nobody has ever truly replaced Kyogo Furuhashi.
None of Celtic’s forwards have hit double figures this season, and that is a major concern.
If you play up top for the Hoops, 25 goals a season should be the minimum. They come at a premium, but you have to pay the big bucks for results.
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