Celtic may be desperate for new signings, but their squad is still bloated.
Martin O’Neill gave an opportunity to Michel-Ange Balikwisha in Sunday’s Scottish Cup win over Auchinleck Talbot.
Balikwisha is one of many summer signings who has barely kicked a ball. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey and Hayato Inamura have already moved elsewhere.
With such a huge demand for a striker at Celtic, it’s easy to forget that Shin Yamada and Johnny Kenny are still in the building.
But Peter Martin thinks that one of that pair could be used to aid the Hoops’ January business.
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Peter Martin on Celtic man Johnny Kenny and Tawanda Maswanhise
Tawanda Maswanhise is publicly on Celtic’s radar, after O’Neill and Mark Fotheringham’s sighting at Fir Park on Saturday.
But Motherwell boss Jens Askou has insisted that the Zimbabwe international is not for sale.
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Martin, speaking on the PLZ Soccer Football Show, reckons that Kenny could help Askou change his mind.
Discussing the window so far, he said: “The Lorient player, Mohamed Bamba, has scored one in sixteen.
“So that doesn’t fill you with confidence. There’s another guy that they were talking about (Jonas Wind) who is possibly going to come in on loan from Wolfsburg…
“He’s carrying an injury, so you can throw that one right out the window. He needs players to start.
“Maswanhise? I’m looking at it and I’m saying to myself: ‘Maswanhise makes perfect sense’. On the basis that he’s scoring goals.
“Fifteen for Motherwell, scored a goal in the African Cup of Nations… but over and above that, they could give Stephen Welsh back to Motherwell, they could actually throw Johnny Kenny in as a makeweight.
“Because Johnny Kenny doesn’t have a future at Celtic.”
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Celtic and the Scottish market
O’Neill has discussed the Scottish market, admitting that there players there who could improve Celtic’s team.
Kieron Bowie is the obvious one; the Hibs striker is the subject of interest from both Celtic and Rangers. He is valued at over £6 million by the Easter Road club.
His teammate, Josh Mulligan, has been linked with several Premier Clubs after impressing over the last six months. The 23-year-old can play as a wing-back and a midfielder.
In recalling Stephen Welsh, the club have openly shown that they always have an eye on the SPFL market.
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