Now confirmed new Celtic boss Martin O'Neill can seemingly look forward to a sizable transfe r budget this summer. The Bhoys are going to need to improve if they want a more dominant campaign this time around having won the title by the finest of margins during the season just gone.
The Hoops are also aware then key players like Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels could leave the club this summer, and while big fees can be expected, those players will not be easy to replace.
O'Neill to be backed
One term we know O'Neill stood firmly by during negotiations to become the club's permanent manager was having a sizable transfer budget to work with this summer. And reading into what has been said by the club's lead shareholder Dermot Desmond, there will indeed be money to spend.
“Time and time again Martin has shown his qualities and what he can bring to Celtic," said the Bhoys chief upon O'Neill;s appointment.
“We know he is a winner, we know what the club means to him and he continues to be the outstanding candidate to give us the best opportunity to realise our objectives. He knows the demands at Celtic and I know how determined he is again to bring success to the club and to our supporters.
“The club will support Martin fully again across the close season to make sure we are well prepared to achieve domestic success and compete on the European stage.”
Based on last season, Celtic are some way off competing well in the Champions League having failed to qualify last season. Desmond will not only want qualification to this year's edition, but he would like to see his side challenge for a knockout spot as well as putting together a dominant league campaign.
O'Neill will feel he can achieve all of that, but not with the key holes in this team, and that doesn't include the players who could leave. Celtic already need a couple of new strikers and a goalkeeper, while there are other areas they can also upgrade between now and the new season.
All of that is going to cost money, but it's not just a case of ploughing in cash. Celtic need to be far better in the standard of their recruitment compared to last summer, and you would hope O'Neill's experience will allow for a more efficient approach in the market.
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