The six areas Martin O’Neill is keen for the Celtic board to strengthen this summer

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The non-World Cup Celtic players are due back for pre-season on Friday, as preparations begin for the 2026/27 season.

But, as per usual, the pace at which the Celtic board are working is rather worrying because there can’t be a repeat of last summer.

Many are hoping Celtic’s domestic double win doesn’t paper over the cracks, because Martin O’Neill needs serious backing, as the Daily Record reports he wants to strengthen six areas of the pitch.

In some cases, it’s clear as day where the champions of Scotland need to freshen up, such as the striker department, as the Record also claims that O’Neill wants ‘a new goalkeeper.’

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Martin O’Neill wants Celtic to sign ‘at least two strikers’

According to the Daily Record, the six areas of the pitch O’Neill is keen for the powers that be to strengthen are: A new goalkeeper, left-back, centre-half, midfielders, wingers and strikers.

In some cases, such as the middle of the park and a striker, big money needs to be spent, or serious ambition needs to be shown.

But you wonder how the Celtic board will target the centre-back department because three senior players are fighting for those spots, including Cameron Carter-Vickers’ return from long-term injury.

Could this be the Celtic board pulling a clever one with O’Neill, and re-signing players from last season to fill some of those reported spots?

Will the Celtic board try to pull a clever one with O’Neill?

There are reports that Celtic want to re-sign Marcelo Saracchi, so he would fill that left-back spot alongside Kieran Tierney.

But could the Celtic board meet O’Neill’s demands of wanting another centre-back by re-signing Benjamin Arthur? And then do the same across the pitch?

Such as re-signing Kelechi Iheanacho, letting Daizen Maeda go, and only bringing in one more striker after that?!

Leopards don’t change their spots, and don’t bet against this Celtic board trying to go down the cheapest road possible to meet O’Neill’s demands.

Remember, Kyogo Furuhashi left in January 2025, and then Adam Idah followed suit the following summer. The strikers Celtic sign? Shin Yamada from Japan and Iheanacho on a free.

You can only trust this Celtic board once the job is done and O’Neill gets what he wants; until then, you can’t blame the fans for having their doubts.