Celtic must navigate the upcoming January transfer window carefully. The first half of the season has been a disaster. The good news is that nobody has pulled away in the title race and there is a chance that the campaign can be salvaged. Of course, not many are convinced that Wilfried Nancy is the man to do that. If the Frenchman is to have any chance, he must be backed with new signings next month.
At the same time, the club would be smart to part ways with those who do not have a place in the team. And it is very clear that one man must depart Parkhead as soon as possible.
When Celtic signed Jahmai Simpson-Pusey last summer, on loan from Manchester City, there was a bit of excitement around the move. He had played first-team football for Pep Guardiola's side and centre-back was an area of need for the Hoops.
Unfortunately, he has not been able to find a place for himself in the team under three different managers already. The only one to give him a chance was Martin O'Neill and while he did put in a decent performance on that day, it did not lead to any further appearances.
Forgotten Celtic player must leave the club this January
Either Simpson-Pusey is not a good enough player for Celtic, or he does not fit the style of football the club plays. It has to be one of those two. But whichever it is does not really change the situation much.
Clearly, Simpson-Pusey is not in line to get too many more chances at Celtic unless there is an injury crisis. Nancy has preferred to play the likes of Kieran Tierney and Anthony Ralston at centre-back ahead of him.
That just goes to show where Simpson-Pusey is on the pecking order. His loan deal should be cut short in January. He should go back to Manchester City and then try to find another club where he will get chances. On the other hand, it does not make sense for Celtic to have a roster spot filled by someone who has barely featured since arriving. They must clear up space to accommodate fresh faces.