Hugh Keevins backs Celtic duo to ‘run the UK Government’ amid four ‘crazy’ transfer deals

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Brendan Rodgers’ first spell at Celtic was beyond remarkable, but it could be argued that it is now being topped.

The Treble is on at Celtic for this current campaign and you wouldn’t have thought that would be the case last season, going by the reaction of some of the supporters.

Go back to December 2023, Celtic are losing to Hearts and there are chants of ‘sack the board’ coming from the Parkhead crowd.

There was a sense of impatience from certain sections of the fanbase because the powers that be wouldn’t bring in those ready-made players and splash the cash like crazy.

Instead, they would bring in rising stars, such as Nicolas Kuhn and previously Matt O’Riley, and it would take them time to transform into the players they have become.

Celtic have been repeating this again and again, despite many knowing that there is money to spend, but there is a reason for it, as Hugh Keevins brilliantly explained.

Hugh Keevins backs Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay to ‘run the UK Government’ amid Celtic transfer dealings

If anything sums up how well Celtic have done in the transfer market, then selling Jota for £25 million to Saudi Arabia in 2023 and bringing him back for less than half of that proves that.

That’s after Kyogo Furuhashi joined Rennes, as well as Alex Bernabei being sold for £5 million, despite Hugh Keevins stating that he ‘flopped’ at Celtic.

There is talk of Tierney returning – he left for Arsenal in 2019 for £25 million – and is expected to return for nothing.

All in all, as Keevins touched upon, the economics of all this is ‘crazy’ and those in the boardroom – Michael Nicholson, the chief executive and Chris McKay, the finance director – should ‘run the UK Government’, as he told Clyde 1 Superscoreboard.

“This whole Kyogo-Jota business,” said Keevins. “I mean, the economics of the situation are just crazy. Celtic parted company with Jota and Kieran Tierney for £50 million. Both could come back for the region of £8-9 million. If that happens, Michael Nicholson should be the new chancellor of the exchequer and Rachel Reeves should stand down.

“An absolute flop at Celtic (Bernabei) and they end up with £5 million for him. £5 million, which should be devoted towards signing a proper striker. You got the money. You did well. 

“As I say, Chris McKay, the finance director, Michael Nicholson, the chief executive, they should be running the government. The success rate they have at making money. But you have got the money. You have got an obvious vacancy for a proper striker and that is what should take place between now and the transfer window closing.”

How Celtic’s January transfer window could look if all deals are completed

Usually, you don’t expect a team, especially one so dominant, to be so busy during the winter transfer window because it just isn’t the ideal time to do so.

But, by the end of it all, there could be a lot of change at Celtic, from back to front, and it should excite the fans, even with the disappointment of Kyogo leaving.

From the players who have already arrived, and left and those who have been linked, we take a look at how the whole January window could look by the time the lights are out.