Celtic’s pre-season is underway ahead of the new Scottish Premiership campaign and there is a lot of work to do.
Euro 2024 and Copa America might be proving to be a distraction and slowing business in the summer transfer market, but Celtic need to get motoring.
Brendan Rodgers did his job last season by delivering the title, including a memorable Scottish Cup final win over Rangers.
But there are many holes for Celtic to fill ahead of the new season, including a new number-one goalkeeper and that much-needed goalscorer.
Joe Hart has retired and fans are waiting to see who the club bring in to replace the Englishman, with the new season kicking off on August 4 against Kilmarnock.
But whilst there will be no Hart in the dressing room next season, many are still wondering whether Adam Idah will make a return, with sources telling HITC that they have fallen short with an opening bid of £4 million rejected.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a fruitful and trophy-winning six months at Parkhead, scoring some crucial goals, from his strike at Ibrox to that winner in the final.
Now the Celtic faithful are very keen for the Norwich City man to return because they believe he can lead the line for them next season.
Simon Donnelly stated that it would be a ‘really good signing to start off the transfer window for Celtic’ if they can secure Idah’s signature, as he told Clyde 1.
And as talks continue, Donnelly thinks the Idah transfer ‘will go through’ and he will become a permanent fixture at the club.
Celtic backed to secure Adam Idah transfer
“The ball is in Norwich’s court, so to speak, because he is their player, and they have seen how well he did up here for Celtic,” said Donnelly.
“What I will say is that the guy come up here and had a fantastic four or five months. Scored some really important goals. None more so than the winner in the Scottish Cup. But I thought his all-round play, and his use of the skills and being a popular guy in the dressing room. That would be a really good signing to start off the transfer window for Celtic.
“I think it will go through. I think Celtic want the boy enough and they see the value in getting that deal over the line, so I expect that deal to get over the line.”
Goalkeeping spot even more important
As mentioned above, Hart has retired and he leaves a big hole to fill. Celtic are still looking but they have no concrete answer for their number one spot.
You could argue that this area of the pitch is more important than the number nine role.
With that, Celtic still have Kyogo Furuhashi at the club and if the Idah deal doesn’t go through, then there are plenty more fish in the sea.
You just sense that the pool for goalkeepers is a lot smaller and it’s something the club simply have to get spot on.
Some may point towards bringing in a younger face, but Hart was in his mid-30s when he first arrived, so you don’t always have to go down that road.
