If you thought Celtic's pre-season 2-0 win over Sporting Lisbon was a fluke, for whatever reason, they followed that up with a 4-0 victory against League Cup holders Newcastle United. That just goes to show the potential of this squad. We saw a lot of this at this time last year as well but their form and performances faded away in the second half of the campaign after a bright start. We need to make sure that does not happen this time around and if successful in doing that, the sky might be the limit.
Celtic have quite a few things to worry about in the transfer market though. One of them is the fact that they seem to be missing out on targets on a consistent basis.
In recent days, news had broken out that Celtic had made a failed €8 million offer for Louis Munteanu. The CFR Cluj striker now appears to be suddenly closing in on an exit but Parkhead does not seem to be his next destination.
Instead, it looks like he will be playing his football in France moving forward if things go according to plan. Out of nowhere, talks seem to be advanced and the Romanian club seem to be very open to the idea of an exit. As reported by The Scottish Sun, Cluj owner Ioan Varga said:
"It's a club in France that is showing the most serious interest.
"I understand that they will resolve some issues these days, then we will sit down at the negotiating table, so that the boy can go for a medical examination.
"I never mentioned the name of the club. I only said France. I only said that it is a top team from France.
"It is about a concrete interest from France and from Spain, but the Spaniards gave up because they didn't reach the amount I asked for."
'Can go' - Unexpected transfer twist after Celtic make bid
So, it looks like there is very little chance of Celtic going back in with another offer and getting a deal done for the striker. Not only is there a gap in valuation but it looks like he is also closing in on a move to France as well.
Celtic have already added two strikers to their ranks this summer. Callum Osmand, a Premier League 2 Player of the Year nominee last season, from Fulham and Shin Yamada, a Japanese international, from Kawasaki Frontale.
Yet, it looks like Celtic are still looking to strengthen their forward line. While it is unlikely that Munteanu will arrive, there are other options available who could be great fits for a lower transfer fee.