Looking Ahead To Celtic’s January Transfer Window | With Anthony Joseph, Sky Sports New

Looking Ahead To Celtic’s January Transfer Window | With Anthony Joseph, Sky Sports New

Hi folks it’s Tino here and delighted to be joined here on the Celtic exchange by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News regular listeners will know that Anthony’s been a good friend to the show and very often jumps on after Celtics transfer Windows whether that’s in the summer or in January this time around

We’ve done a wee bit different and Anthony’s jumping on just now ahead of the January window hopefully give us some some good news or some speculation or just something anything Anthony just to get excited about to hold on to but we’ll get there as we get through the in

The meantime though welcome back to the CTIC exchange how things at your side yeah thank you for having me on again it’s always a pleasure um I will try my best to give some give some good news and uh opinions on this uh season so far

As well but yeah all good thanks just very much looking forward to Christmas and New Year before the start of what’s going to be potentially quite a busy January transfer window yeah well here’s hoping from a Celtic point of view and if there’s no real rumors Anthony feel

Free just to to make something up we can take it from there just generally though before Morelos a free agent still that I would not entertain at one B but some might that’s up to them um just generally speaking though before we do get into it I’d be ke to hear your

Thoughts just in general not on Celtic stuff at the moment so obviously B of a bump in the road there’s no get away from that couple of losses uh back to back in the league green Brigade back in tomorrow we’re recording here on Friday I’ll be this show goes live on Sunday

Christmas Eve green Brigade back in should you know raise the levels at Celtic Park should give the players a boost but we a be bit of a a sticky spell at the moment they are and like I mean I still feel like the signs were there perhaps but it’s been

Quite underwhelming I think there was this sort of wave of um hope and optimism um around Brendan Rogers coming back I know some fans weren’t on board but I think even though people weren’t happy that he was he was back I think they acknowledge that he was a good

Coach one at one of the top uh one of the top coaches in World football but it’s just been underwhelming I think the summer transfer window was underwhelming I think the football on display has been underwhelming the sort of mentality hasn’t really been there and it they

Look a real shadow of their former selves and I I remember saying this just like at the end of September but um the same thing that they look a shadow of their former s thinking it would perhaps improve um and then the Champions League campaign has been really disappointing I

Think yes they picked up four points um which are similar to like man united and and others but that’s it was four points from a from a meaning three of those points were in a meaningless game so it’s yeah it’s just been underwhelming and quite disappointing but I think the

Signs were there due to the the way the summer transfer window went yeah which leads us nicely into that um you and I spoke just after the summer transfer window anony and you quite rightly pointed out now listen we had limited information on the various players some

Came with good pedigree some were very much the unknown guys like qu for example um but there’s no doubt C to expent money uh in the window the best part of 20 OD million so far for me you know to defend the board at this moment in time what I

Would say is they did spend the money but it’s certainly debatable if they spent it effectively or not yeah and whether it was effectively for this season there’s I mean there’s a lot of these players are still the juy out on them and many of them I think it’s

Unfair to say that they’re a failure um they a lot of the players were project signings so they’re hoping to be for signings for the future I guess aren’t they not necessarily this season not even necessarily next season these are meant to be signings that should be

Um helping Celtic progress in the years to come but is the best use of their time at Celtic at the moment playing in the Loland league is the best use of their time um going out uh on loan perhaps that is a better option should they be going out on loan Scottish

Premiership clubs um to see actually how they would cope with the league first um that kind of strategy I don’t feel has been effective for these project signings yet and there were just not enough readymade first team signings that’s I think evident now and that’s becoming a real issue for Celtic Palma

LS Palma I think is the only one who’s come in and looks the real deal and he looks a real player as well actually um I would I wouldn’t really say Celtic have missed J too much they probably missed having a jot J and a bad um on

Both sides but I think if Palma’s there and they can get a bad back and maida back as well that they’ll be okay um I think the the void of J is probably has probably being filled actually but in terms of other players like starfelt

Jury still out on nski and lagab Beka as well lagab beka’s future in doubt as well um there’s been many injuries as well so they have been hampered by injury so that that sort of did change the strategy towards the end of the transfer window so the players that they

Probably didn’t get that they were seen as priority signings in the summer window were a goalkeeper a left back and a striker so they ended up getting looking for an emergency center back didn’t they for the last week of the window yeah and uh yeah and they got Palma in to fill that

They were looking for a left wing they got Palma in to fill that void so I I do see there I do see the argument that they’ve had a lot of injuries the transfer strategy changed for the last week of the window and you’re not going to bring you don’t

Just bring in players for the sake of it as well unless they’re the the players that you want and are available you don’t just sign someone because they’re a goalkeeper you don’t just sign someone because they’re a striker but that it’s evident that Celtic lacked the strength

And depth to cope with the demands of Champions League football and coming back to the demands of having to win every Scottish Premiership game yeah I mean you mentioned the the phrase if if it’s if it is a phrase goalkeeper left back Striker I’ve said those words in

That order so many times um on recent recordings but certainly you know at the start of summer you know where we were still in that transfer window because I think most folk almost any Celtic supporter from the outside looking in could see that those were the areas that

We needed strengthening then you get to the close of the window what’s that end of August start of September we’ve replaced various players or we’ve recruited in various positions but not one goalie not one left back not one Striker even just looking at the guys that were brought in od Thiago home

Midfield marcoo Winger Yang Winger H Lou Palmer Winger Quan Midfield Mike n rocki Gustaf leaba Nat Phillips all Central Defenders Bernardo midfielder no goalie no left back no Striker and that’s why everyone was so upset coming out the window um and I don’t feel it was an

Overreaction and I don’t you know I don’t think people were out of order to to be thinking that’s who we should have replaced and I mean what do you think you know I used the term there about the the team or the board having spent money but not effectively do you think you

Know do you think they’ let Brandon Rogers down a bit there because he’s been hampered by that lack of strengthening in those three key positions do you think sorry do you think the team have let Brendon Rogers down or the bo the board sorry think the

Bo perhaps because uh it’s hard to say isn’t it because the recruitment team identified targets so I mean we use the goalkeeper situation for example um Dominic lovic was identified as a serious Target that Celtic should be going for I mean inquiries were made interest was there they were monitoring

His situation because they knew fener bachche were were quite Advanced um with him and other clubs had um had spoken to him as well but when you look at the figures that liovic has gone for 5.7 million pounds that’s doable for Celtic his wage is 40 Grand a week perhaps Celtic would

Have had to make some uh changes or he might have had to come down on his wages there his wage demands but Celtic could offer it in another way ways like bonuses Champions League bonus we progress from the last to the last 16 in the Champions League you get x amount

Celtics Champions League bonuses are quite good actually so there would there could have been a way to incentivize a deal to bring him in and did they do enough to try and approach a player or did they maybe feel he was too far down the line with fener Bachi but it did

Stall he did stall with fener Bachi um and he didn’t sign until the last few days of the window um well the the the Scottish window I know the Turkish window had a bit longer anyway but yeah so there’s the there certainly the recruitment team were identifying players but

Uh I guess the question could be was were they backed enough on the targets that they identified and yeah that that’s a valid question and a valid argument to say that perhaps they weren’t yeah and I know you’ve made the point and and I agree with your point on you don’t just

Say a goalie a left back a striker for the sake of it just to pick a box and say well you wanted a striker there’s a striker he’s not very good but he’s a striker you know that kind of thing and I’m not suggesting that’s what Celtics

Should have done but I do feel it’s become all the more Goen hasn’t Anthony when you when Celtic release her financial figures and as a fan base you see there’s 70 million plus in the bank so if Celtic were in a perilous financial situation and having to play

Safe everyone would get on board with that and say well that’s that’s understandable you need to cut your cloth accordingly if you’ve got 70 million in the bank doing nothing I I’ve heard the term in the last couple of days Celtic are a well-run business they’re not a particularly well-run

Football club because ultimately results are what a football club is is judged on and certainly in Europe we’re just not doing that so yeah as I said you know let us not just players for the sake of it and from the sounds of it and you

Know from our previous chat as well yep Lovich was in the conversation in terms of a goalie I believe I believe mat FIS Garden the the Bron B Striker was spoken about potentially approached in terms of a striker and I’ve no doubt there was a

Couple of left backs in the mix as well but my own take on it and it’s it’s pure speculation because I don’t know the finer detail is that Celtic haven’t been willing to push the ball out as you say it might have they might have had to

Amender wage structure to get Lovich in as a goalie maybe pay more than we should have to Bron to get fisar in and Celtic rarely do that if ever we don’t push the ball out we don’t go the extra mile if someone’s playing hard ball Celtic we generally walk away and I

Don’t know I would debate it’s not the best negotiating technique it’s not sometimes is I guess you don’t get you don’t want to pay more than you should for a player that you don’t uh value as highly of if you know what I mean so with kis Garden he’s a great example of

That actually because um Celtic did make inquiries um and they did negotiate a little bit but his Club were wanting quite a lot more um nearly double what Celtic were valuing him at so it’s that kind of that kind of broke down um fairly early on it was never actually far on at

All and Celtic almost wor were saying certainly what I was being told um was that that they’re not going to be getting a striker in um before the end of the window and ALS also with one source telling me that Lewis Palmer can Al play up front and I remember putting

That out there was that it’s looking increasingly unlikely that SC at Celtic will go back in for C Garden um they are unlikely to bring in a striker and uh Lewis Palmer can also play up front because that was um what I was being told because that’s what the feeling at

The club was I think since then it has become quite apparent that they need to to bring in a striker I I think I’ve always said you need like three you need at least three but perhaps four good Strikers if you’re going to be playing champions league and Scottish

Premiership because you’re going to be rotating a lot you’re going to be you’re gonna have injuries and you need to be able to have that same kind of quality going it and it’s such a shame it was a for such a short period of time because

Jack amachis was a good person a good player to fill that void of kyogo O is I actually like o I think he brings in a lot of good qualities but whether he’s that man to play a lone Striker role I actually think o and kyogo could link up

Really well together and I feel they have done when they when they’ve played together that St Johnston game away H where they won it quite late on uh was a good example of that um but whether o is the man to be the lone Striker he’s

Still young so again he’s more of a project sign but Celtic need readymade players now they need that for their squads especially if they want to go and win this league which is now become a title race um when perhaps at one point I think Celtic were 10 points ahead at

One point um so it’s not not not not just to not just to win the League this season but also for next year potentially in the Champions League where there’s going to be more games and Celtic got to think quite carefully now about I think this the type of player

They can bring in might have changed as well due to the current league position and their status in Europe because if you’re say you’re in Europe after Christmas or even if you’re not if you’re running away with the league which Celtic perhaps could have been that at one

Point you are almost gu well you’re guaranteed the Champions League next season in the new format of the Champions League which I’ve stressed many times as really uh a a real growth potential for Celtic um both MoneyWise and football-wise and it could changes the dynamic of the players they could go

For and if players know that look I’m going to play the Scottish Premiership in Scottish cup for the last five months and then next season playing eight to 10 Champions League games a fifth of my season in the Champions League and going for the domestic honors as well that’s I

Think You’ be able to bring in a different type of player based on that but because it’s a title race I and player Champions League status is not guaranteed next season I think some players might think well let’s see let’s see where they are in the summer before

I decide where I go yeah and that and that’s that’s absolutely Fair on a player who has no connection to Celtic or or whatever it very much changes your your negotiating position you know whoever makes those phone calls calls I don’t know if it’s Michael Nicholson if

It’s brend Rogers himself I don’t know who makes the call H but when you’re speaking to players or at least their agent your sales pitch has changed you know you’re absolutely right Anthony whereas if you could guarantee those 810 Champions League top level European games in the new format it’s a fairly

Easy sale you know you could say a young upand cominging player here’s a great opportunity for you you don’t need to beat Celtic forever but come for a couple of years enjoy the spotlight that this brings you enjoy the big nights at Celtic Park you know compete against the

Best and then you’ll move on with everyone’s best wishes if we get the right offer for you now your position’s changed and as you rightly say for the next few months it’s the the blood and thunder of the domestic scene it’s the the Scottish Premiership and it’s the

Scottish cup far less exciting far less exciting and it’s a is definitely a harder thing to pitch a really interesting point you make is about the fact that Celtic and any team competing in Europe should have three maybe even four tried and trusted Center forward Strikers I’d say we’ve got one kyogo is

A Bonafide Striker and we know that on his day he can certainly do a brilliant job for Celtic up there oh a project I like him as well I agree with you I think he’s got a lot of good attributes but he’s got a way to go he’s still a

Development player um and then I really don’t like the the suggestion that it’s okay because Palma can play center forward D maida can play center forward yeah but it’s not their speciality you know you could stick D made at right back he could do that as well he’s just

Not very good at it for example I just don’t like it I don’t like the we’ve not assigned a striker so we’ll just fudge a non striker in there and and that’s a real issue what we’ll doony we’ll get back to some of the the suggestions as

To who Celtic may bring in just shortly but I’d like to just cover off maybe some of the exits first of all um highest profile one right now of course is the the chat that’s just started doing the rounds today Friday about Matt Riley potentially being a target for

Inter Milan the talk is they want to take him in January on a loan signing with a view to making that permanent this summer have you guys picked up anything on that yeah um it was actually our story um it was um my colleague ly Thomas um who’s got H good contacts

There and uh he was aware of their Inter Milan’s interest and we into Milan be I mean a number of clubs there’s a lot of clubs uh tracking Matt O’Reilly at the moment and why wouldn’t they be this is a guy who was a star performer in the Champions League

Games for Celtic and has now become a a Denmark International um starting games for Denmark so he is and you just watch him and he each time he he looks like he’s learning and getting better and he’s a player I thought under Rogers would Thrive and uh just the type of uh

Man management that Rogers has he micromanages he likes developing players he likes really intelligent players and Matt O’Reilly is very intelligent for his age um I likened the sort of relationship to perhaps um Rogers and Stuart Armstrong another player who thrived um under Rogers in terms of development but he’s he’s been brilliant

And there’s no doubt there’s lots of clubs tracking him the thing is with Inter Milan they think they well they’re thinking about making a move in January so that’s the difference whereas you’ve got clubs like Aston Villa West Ham Atletico Madrid who’ve all sent Scouts monitoring his situation but Inter Milan

See it as an opportunity well we want to get him in now just so we secure him so that’s that changes things a little bit but Celtic in a very good position regarding Matt O’Reilly’s just signed a new contract a bumper contract at that uh Celtic rejected 10 million pounds

From Leeds United um in the last couple of days of the transfer window um and that sort of sparked Celtic wanting to get him down on improved terms Rogers identified him as a play key player for the squad so they’re in a strong position there’s no need to I mean when

Leads were coming in with 10 million pound bids that the thought process was certainly I from the conversations I had I don’t think Celtic would have entertained anything under 15 million but even 15 million probably wouldn’t have done it would have had to be around 20 million to open that conversation I

Think anyway and I and with a new contract that’s got to be the case again the fact he signed a new contract I was I would reckon Celtic wouldn’t open the conversation until unless there was 20 million maybe even up to 25 um obviously that changes as things

Go as time moves on and if the player starts trying to engineer a move that might change things if he Downs tools that might change things so there’s lots of lots of variables that can happen still to change that and juranovich is a good um example of that that a player

Who perhaps went for less than he was valued at um and starfelt of course um who could forget the starfelt situation went for um just around four or five million so it’s not well below what Celtic would have valued him had he not been pushing to move

Away um so oil I mean I still think Celtic have a strong case for keeping him at club and perhaps the Champions League uh situation will determ in the summer will determine whether he stays or goes um so that’s just I mean we’ve been we’ve been around this scenario

Plenty of times with key players um at Celtic haven’t we it’s as soon as someone starts doing really well um the clubs from the bigger leagues let’s not suggest they’re bigger clubs but the clubs from the bigger leagues start to think and Italian Italian clubs have got a good connection with Scottish clubs

They certainly they rate the league they rate players that are doing well in the league and they’ve had Italian clubs have had good success out of um players coming from Scotland so um it’s even more understandable that Inter Milan are are looking to do something whether Celtic would entertain a loan right now

Um with an obligation to buy I’m not so sure I think if Celtic wanted s mat O’Reilly they’d want the Matt O’Reilly money straight away yeah I think it’d be Madness I mean the the numbers doing the rounds for Champions League um participation in this new format next season ballpark 60 million something

Like that so it would need for me it would need to be crazy money in January you know I mean 25 million plus um to even have a conversation with Inter Milan V whoever might be interested and I just think given the the new contract he signed the position but I don’t think

M really is the kind of guy that would leave midseason I think he’s quite settled here he enjoys Glasgow life he seems to be very balanced guy but as you rightly say Anthony Lots can change and you know personal life can change and who knows you know who knows what the

Situation might be I really hope he doesn’t move on because he’s been so important to Celtic he’s added so much more to his game particularly you know by way of goal return and if Celtic AR retain the title and very hopeful that’ll be the case M really would be

Key to all of that so here’s hoping nothing onward kicks off in January but we just need to see as you see a lot of things can happen that that leads to players moving on and just on that so whether it’s the the players that are

Just in the door and I’m thinking of guys like lager beela who’s been talked about recently or barnab for example who’s who’s been here a bit longer there are guys on the fringes of Celtics first team who have been talked about uh being or Celtic being open to them moving on

In January have you heard anything on that on guys like lager Bela bernabe or anyone else yeah I think if the right offer came in for someone like lagab beela they would perhaps look to um that will open the discussion um Bernay as well um he’s got

A lot of clubs in Italy and Argentina his homeland Argentina looking at him um he also his Situation’s a bit different he he’s got an Italian passport so he can that was also part of getting him the move to Celtic to um increases chances of a work permit so he could

Easily move to Italy without any EU sort of complic there’s not really complications but any delays or anything like that but I mean it’s not NE it’s not a forego conclusion that he’s going but Celtic want to left back and Greg Taylor is currently the number one left

Back so I think that tells its own story about where burn Bay fits in um also yeah with lagab just doesn’t seem to be Brendan rogers’s cup of tea at the moment anyway H ironically the man who scored the winning goal for Celtic to win the first Champions League home game in a

Decade um then the next day reports in Scotland suggesting that he could that Celtic would be open to selling him I believe that is the case that they’d be open to selling him but doesn’t necessarily mean they will sell him and it would need to be um for a decent fee

I guess at least recouping the money that they paid for him but yeah it doesn’t seem to be in favor with Rogers at the moment but things can change who would have thought we’d be sitting here saying that Liam scales is one of our best center

Backs so it’s I I remember I can’t remember if it was this podcast but I remember speaking about it saying that Welsh and Liam scales’s Futures were in doubt with the center back situation with the injury to Carter Vickers and nski were the reasons they were still at the

Club um and that Aberdine if Liam scales was available abine wanted to sign him permanently but Liam scales was ended up not being available because Celtic needed him even just for numbers but he turned into a player who just Rose to the occasion and is doing he does still

Have his limitations but he’s that’s what you want to see from a fringe player that is exactly what you want to see from a player who the fans don’t really see as being in the Celtics Squad H or being good enough for the Celtics Squad but he’s he’s proven that he can

Hack it and he can hack it in the Champions League so and he was doing it for Ireland as well internationally so that’s that’s what can h i mean that just shows that things can change lagab beela could come on to a game and things things uh become different but Rogers

Seems something with Rogers he’s questioning the mentality of these players um quite a few times now it’s not just been on one occasion so for me that suggests something else is something’s going on there at the in the training round as well that he’s seeing mentality wise and how players are

Applying themselves um with some players it’s great like he speaks so highly of scales Matt O’Reilly maida that kyogo the likes but there’s certain times where he’s played perhaps uh more Fringe players in this in the side and then he questions the mentality of the team so

That’s to me suggests he’s not seeing it in training either because if he was he’d be questioning perhaps the the roles are playing is it confidence is it not enough game time that kind of thing but he’s when when he’s been questioning their mentality I think it’s overall not

Just in in the matches they’re playing yeah yeah and I think Liam skills is such a a good example of all of that because I like Liam skills I like him because I think he’s a very honest player and I think he’s currently maximizing on his own talents limited as

They may be might n rocki might have a better General skill set than Liam skills maybe even lager baa does I think Liam skills is getting the absolute max out of what he’s got and I think you’ve got to admire that but aside from that I actually really admire his his mental

Strength his mental character he he was pitched in what was the game was it Johnson first of all and the Rangers game the following week in the rest of his history before you know it he’s an Irish International he’s a Champions League footballer and if Liam skills

Does move on it’s it’s not to abine now his stock has risen and you know he can maybe pick from a few more clubs than they might have been able to do so previously but there was real pressure on Liam skill shoulders I was at the Johnson game where I think Steve may

Gave him a hard time and a few other guys and you’re thinking this cannot be the answer and there’s a real tension in the stands every time he got on the ball and he’s just had to to write that out and he’s done so and he’s come through

So many games I think he’s now played something like 18 19 games on the bounce at Celtic and nobody would have predicted that now I’m not sure if Liam skills is a future of Celtic but what is is a really good example to guys like lager beela to guys like OD Thiago home

Whoever it might be that finds himself on the sidelines just now to say you know what when you do get your chance this is a kind of approach you need to take to and then it’s over to you to to see what works out so I’ll credit to

Liam skills not sure what the future holds but he’s done what he’s had to do in the meantime and sorry another example of that was Greg Taylor last season Bern was brought in to be the left back under an yeah and the sort of European style left back but Greg Taylor

Last season was just incredible and whether it’s the change of tactics the change of style um it’s just not working out for him this season and who knows he might he might have just peaked last season and Celtic got the best out of him then because he was so good even

Champions League games he was really good um and and played really well for Scotland actually last last season’s games but this season I think is when he was playing for Scotland I think a lot of people started to realize his his limitations he certainly he had a good

Couple of Seasons under didn’t he maybe not not immediately under Ane but very quickly it became AAR that Greg Taylor could fit within that system and I suppose it’s it’s fair to defend Greg Taylor he’s got a hard time just now and we we’ve spoken quite critically of him

Because he’s struggling at the moment but actually Celtic have tried several times to replace him I think ball and goalie came in we all remember that guy uh ber as you mentioned and he’s seen these guys off and it’s not Greg Taylor’s fault that he’s currently the

Best left back at Celtic you know that’s that’s the way the that’s down to the recruitment team and the the squad management whoever kind of deals with ins and outs and all that stuff so Greg Taylor can only do what he can do as well um he has struggling for form at

This time but he’s shown that he also has a mental resiliance and again that’s the message to other guy I mean you talk about sliding doors Anthony and and who knows what’s around the corner for some of these guys I’m reading between the lines you’re telling me there’s still a

Chance for Quan isn’t there I have no idea why Celtic signed Quan even as a project signing he was playing in um like this is no dis disrespect to him but he was playing in the second division of uh Korean football yeah why not wait I I don’t

Think Celtic are in that rush to own the Market there or that I don’t think there’s enough competition in the market there to not let him get into the K league first and see if he starts doing well in the K League because I don’t what what’s what’s he doing right

Now what how is he progressing his game at Celtic right now what what what is the benefit of quan being at Celtic yeah it’s just it was such a strange signing at the time um unless they thought he was going to be some kind of Wonder kid

That was going to just break into the first team but as a project signing I still thought that was quite a weird one because why not wait until he’s in the top league in his country yeah it’s not that competitive a market yet for European uh clubs it’s not like they’re

Going to be fighting off Atletico Madrid and Barcelona um for someone who’s showing promise in the K League they wait until a European Club takes a chance on them and then sign them so it’s yeah a strange one but he’s still very young um and who knows what could happen I never

Like saying definitively that a player is not going to do well or whatever because we’ve seen too many times players just suddenly becoming amazing Tom rogic for example where his first few seasons at Celtic people probably said the same thing what was the point in signing him but he at least went on

Out on loan and did Lo bells and and came back and then it was really under Ronnie dla that he managed one of I would always say Ronny D’s legacies were Tom roic and Kean Tierney so um you never know with players but at the moment Quan does look a very strange

Signing and actually I would I would still it’s not even at the moment I think Quan was a strange signing because they could have waited until he was um doing well in the K league and then and it’s such a strange signing because at the moment I would argue he’s not he’s

Not even living the life of a footballer he’s living the life of a guy who goes and trains and goes home and trains and goes home and that’s it he found himself bizarrely on the bench against Hearts there last weekend didn’t he and that was the first day anyone had seen him in

A match day Squad I think since you know the signing in the summer and it is so puzzling and and what adds to the the Intrigue is that qu himself arrived and and you’ll have seen the quotes at the time where he basically said words to

The effect of I’m I’m going to be the best Midfield in the Scottish League and then I’m going to go down and do it in the English league as well it was very now I don’t know if that was a wee bit Lost in Translation but that was a gist

Of of where it was at and I was okay with it be confident in yourself believe in yourself back yourself but clearly Brandon Rogers and others have seen or not seen something from him because he said I was going to say so little game time he had he had zero competitive

Minutes so such a puzzling one and we just need to watch that space um let’s look at what a lot of folk will be tuning in for Anthony in terms of what what might be coming in the door at Celtic uh in January now people will argue we need three four five new

Signings there was some rumors that it was a an EXA Club type dinner or lunch there a few days ago and you know whether it was Brandon Rogers or Peter L or Michael Nicholson but someday there was a bit of a Q&A and someday says we’re targeting four guys we hope to get

At least two of them not sure how true that may or may not have been um but let’s look at the kind of headlines so you and I have mentioned goalkeeper left back Striker and it seems that there are some Rumors in those various areas so let’s look at striker first anyone doing

The rounds i’ I’ve seen the guy Silva wolv was mentioned I don’t know if there’s anything in that but you hearing anything down that road yeah well not not specifically on Silva but he’s another player who’s been linked um by other media outlets and it wouldn’t be a

Surprise to say especially the way we’ve been talking today that Celtic need to look at getting a striker in um but a player they didn’t it’s a position they weren’t able to sign in the summer so whether they go for Silva or whether they go for other players I I think um

It’s definitely some a position we perhaps will see Celtics strengthen in in January um not necessarily waiting until the summer um I think left back and Striker is probably the two priorities going into this um WI I think they’re probably content with the goalkeeping situation right now um

Especially seeing as there’s no European football after Christmas I think they’re okay with Joe Hart for now and yes goalkeeping position was uh something some they were looking to strengthen in the summer as we all know but they weren’t able to get the targets that they wanted to and then they were fairly

Content and there was also reasons with uh Bane for example being part of the Homegrown uh status and filling that quota as well so they weren’t going to have four goalkeepers and seist was not willing to move so that is also a major reason why Celtic did not go on to sign

A goalkeeper that uh late in the window but the goalkeeping situation is needs to be addressed is it because Joe Hart is not getting any younger you can start to see um faults in his game perhaps he’s not able to perform at the highest level at the level he used to perform at

Um perhaps consistently enough he still has amazing game sometimes he still shows his worth he still shows his quality still shows why he was England’s number one he still shows why he was Man City goalkeeper when they won the league um so it’s just not enough anymore though

And particularly in Europe I think we saw that quite in quite a few of the matches but and the he does perform well in quite big games still and but it’s just like I said it’s just becoming more and more inconsistent so Celtic need to address that um

That’ll probably be more of a long-term signing I think I I’d be unless they can get a Target that they really want in January I think goalkeeper might be signed in in in the summer um but in terms of left back and Striker I think it would be quite poor of Celtics

Recruitment if they did not end this January transfer window with a left back and a striker yeah I I think if you told me Anthony that that we’d get a left back and a striker but no goalie I could make my piece with that absolutely I

Think in terms of Joe har he’s been great for Celtic Celtic have been great for him you know new le a life you know when he thought he was maybe going to hang up the gloves he was phenomenal against fard for example and he said

Some big big for Celtic and I do think he’s capable of seen out the season and at that point it’s the natural break point and he moves on and and we all wish him the best uh Benji seis he’s got the best job in football 15 grand a week

Apparently sits on the bench sometimes not all the time European travel stays in top hotels best sports signs Kush the number but we need to move these guys on these guys and others are just picking up money uh and not giving Celtic in return there is a goalie that we’ve been

Linked with so Andre Lunen he’s the the backup goalie at Real Madrid I think he’s the third choice goalie at Madrid he’s 24 he’s a Ukrainian I think him and Kea are the backup goalies to Kura but Kura has picked up a longer term injury and at the moment Carlo ancelotti’s got

A call to make whether to go with Kea or luna have you had anything about guys like him or or others that might be on the radar yeah I think those are the type of goalkeeper Celtic should be looking at looking at perhaps the third choice second choice at the elite clubs

So I think even ker was linked at Liverpool and that is someone CTIC we’re looking at and per perhaps might still do but maybe not for this season because I think Keller her might be called upon or needed at least um for Liverpool this season um so yeah it’s they definitely

Need a long-term solution uh a long-term number one uh brought in by the summer so well brought in in the summer by the end of next transfer window the August transfer window so it’s yeah I I agree in terms of like I was saying before these These are the types these

Names that are being linked are the types of goalkeepers that Celtics should be going for people with real pedigree who are going to come in and be the number one be good enough for the champions league and or good enough for European football anyway and just take

That position and make it their own Celtic can’t have a goalkeeper of the same kind of quality as perhaps Bane and seist and they’re all battling for it Celtic need someone who is a top top quality but um and perhaps that is the that does seem to be the way they’re

Looking at it doesn’t it the a a maybe second or third choice at one of the elite clubs yeah I think kellard was a good example because he and many other goalies of his out um they’re good with the ball at their feet feet and Celtic

Play in such a way that we want to start our attacks from the back get out your feet quickly zip out to your right and left back or your Center halfes or even into the Midfield from the goalie position and kick off your attacks from

There Joe har is fine I mean he looks a we bit awkward on the ball doesn’t he um if he’s only making 10 and 12 yard passes that’s okay but I think at the moment Joe Hart’s there for his more traditional goalkeeping assets you know shot stopping and handling and that kind

Of thing you could debate that he’s not coming off his much anymore if he ever did um but certainly moving forward whoever s It Go for they need to have that full full skill set don’t they you know the the ball at the feet is so important and Kell yep I’ve heard his

Name mentioned that would take the box I don’t know much about lunin at Real Madrid but I would anticipate that if you’re there at all you must have something about you so we’ll see where we go in terms of left back there is a name down the rounds um I think just in

The last kind of week or so Thiago arer a 24 year old left back from Port he’s been in the benf academy you know where Jor was and where Duke that we’re familiar with was and he’s now at Estel uh in Portugal by all accounts they’ve

Put quite a heft to sell on fee as Benfica tend to do but anything to that Anthony him or or anyone else at left back yeah I think he is some he’s a name out there that Celtic are quite keen on and not just someone who they’ve been monitoring but someone who through

Intermediaries I understand uh have made inquiries about so I think um as stepen MC at the daily mail um who has great um Celtic sources as well and uh he pointed out that well he claimed that uh it’s a very strong possibility um Thiago Aro

Would be coming to Celtic so um um I believe that also to be the case not not necessarily strong possibility but I believe that Celtic have been making fairly um strong inquiries about him and there’s definitely more substance to uh this name being linked to a Celtic and um yeah it’s

Just he seems to be uh I mean I don’t know too much about him and again I I always remember when I I always like to tell people like I’m not necessarily a football man I do the news I could wouldn’t be able to tell you too much

About what a player is like and that kind of thing I can only tell you what people tell me about him and I think he’s got a bit more of a physique than gr Taylor and Bernay um taller but also a bit bigger belt but can also play left

Wing so he can be an attacking fullback and well actually I think he’s he’s been playing left wing more from what I understand and he can also F like he’s very naturally a left wing back or a left back as well so um yeah I I think

We could possibly see a bid going in next month it wouldn’t surprise me if that’s the case but there’s still a few what 10 or so days before the the end of the window and sorry before the start of the window so other players could come available other options could come um

So it’ll all depend on a number of things I don’t like to speculate at the best of time but I definitely don’t like to speculate before I Windows even open um on these things but it wouldn’t surprise me if Celtic put a bid in for Thiago got you so Thiago Aro definitely

Signing first week in January I hear you um I think you mentioned the physicality and I think that’s important because Brendan Rogers has said just that he wants more of a physical presence Greg Taylor for all the ability he has and and whatever he’s done at Celtic he’s

Never going to be that guy you know it just it doesn’t have that physical stature barab is the same and I think Brandon Rogers is looking just to to sh up the team with just a bit more physicality across the board I believe I is 6′ one and I think that would

Certainly you know fit the bill in there um a lot of folks say as well brand Rogers traditionally likes a a more powerful Center forward now they’d be spoiled at the time didn’t they they uh dembele and Edward at different times to call upon Les s leester Jamie vard but

Jamie vard’s quite a unique Striker he’s a pretty special player at that level and and you’re not going to replace him but I do wonder if he’s going to look to bring more power into the team whether it is at Center forward at left back even at goalkeeper um there is an

Attacking midfielder that’s been linked to I think it’s just a new rumor Anthony again not sure if there’s anything to it Romeo ammani 20-year-old attacking midfielder he’s playing at hackin over in Sweden but he’s from the the Ivory Coast I don’t know much of anything about him Beyond those headlines is is

That something you’re aware of and do you think Celtic needs somebody in that number 10 position not someone I’m aware of um to be completely honest and again it’s before the transfer window so when it’s when it’s not the transfer window I very rarely check in on things like that or

Actually even uh in terms of sources don’t really give out too much unless it’s players who are looking to move themselves um but yeah it’s certainly one I’ll be checking out but again it’s not I don’t think it’s a priority position for Celtic right now attacking midfielder I think they’ve got plenty of

Them but I guess if perhaps like Turnbull was to go and if something changes in the mat O’Reilly situation that might um affect where they dip their toes into the market on that kind of position but yeah I mean lots of names before the window even opens get

Thrown about and then nothing nothing materializes but that’s all usually it’s not that that’s rubbish it’s just usually because Celtic people know that Celtic have been tracking this player yeah um or they’ve sent Scouts to watch this player and so it quite often becomes well that in there is interest there but

It doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to put in a serious bed in January yeah I think what we need to do is give you a bail on the first Anthony we we’ll get a chat once the window opens and and it all starts to light up um but you’re

Right you know we’re closing in on that window and I suppose the reality for cel because the guys like David turno uh and Joe Hart they’re both in the last six months give or take of their deal they could effectively make their call at the start of January and and I wouldn’t be

Surprised if David tbell did announce that he was maybe heading down to the championship or even you know trying something in Europe whatever it might be um I think not Phillips will return to Liverpool it’s not quite worked out and I think I don’t know about Bernardo

Bernardo’s here on loan with a an option to buy it is quite peculiar his situation isn’t it he seems to play in the champ iion league but not much domestically and the suggestion is C would’ need to pay somewhere between six and seven million for him and based on

What I’ve seen and he’s done okay I’m not sure if that represents true value for a guy like that so do you see guys like him and Phillips potentially seeing out their time and moving on yeah well Phillips was just a short-term deal it was almost the an emergency femon loan

Um was what it was um he my understanding is that he’s expected to to go back to Liverpool Liverpool are going to try and find him another club in the championship so um yeah I think his situation is very much all but sorted out uh that I mean Celtic brought

Him in because Steven Welsh nski Carter Vickers and Kobayashi were all injured four out of the six center backs that they had at the club were were injured so they needed more strength and depth he was in the like last few days of the Wind he was someone who’s played Champions

League football before at Liverpool picking up a decent wage um it was worth bringing him in it hasn’t worked out for him I don’t think he’s looked up to the standard that Celtic need from a Defender um a center back so uh it’s it’s just the way it is but luckily for

All parties that they were not tied into anything further than the five months so I think he will be he’ll be leaving and uh Liverpool will probably try to find him another club yeah um and Bernardo would you pay the money for him uh quit

I think you need a good a good six months out of him uh more than what we’ve seen so far he looks but he looks like a player um at times it just we just haven’t seen him enough he looks capable but is it worth spending six or seven million on if

You’re going to also keep the likes of Matt O’Reilly ifti is still going to be there that kind of thing so yeah I think the jury’s still out on Bernardo from both probably bernardo’s perspective and Celtics perspective yeah and and just to put you on the spot as

Such in terms of ins and outs I think Brendan Rogers has made no secret of the fact that he needs to trim the squad I think he was quoted he saying it’s a 32-man squad which is outrageous you know you just can’t manage that that

Number so I think there are going to be a number of exits But ultimately and we can maybe leave the goalie position aside do you think Celtic will get the the priority positions covered by the end of January if you’re leaving goalkeeper out yeah as in I think

Priority positions are left back and Strikers and I think I think they’ll they’ll get that um by the end of January yeah whether the striker ends up being someone who is not long term for example I think left back they would probably want somewhat if especially if bernabi is potentially leaving they

Would want to have a left back in who’s a permanent signing the striker wouldn’t necessarily surprise me if that was Al loone um if they weren’t able to get their main targets for the striker position they might just want to strengthen that position by to win the

Title to help them to make sure they’re not caught short if kyogo and O are injured um I that could also be a loan but I think their priority is definitely to try and get a permanent uh left back and Striker yeah I wonder if they’ll sign a

Striker but say that listen he can also play left back so don’t worry about it but not we’ve not bought a Bonafide left back but this guy can do the job of both we need to see has there ever been a striker who can also play left back I’m trying to

Think we might just be about to see it um that said Anthony just in terms of um transfer so hopefully you and I can catch up maybe around about a month from now we’ll get a further chat at the end of January start of February and we can

Review the the business Celtic have done or not done we’ll see how that goes but that aside um just very generally speaking do you think we’ll see Brandon Rogers now kick on he’s come through a difficult spell we’ve struggled for consistency Celtic haven’t put three wins together at any point across the 25

26 games we’ve played so far we’re about to enter that crucial you know kind of Christmas New Year period before the winter break but over the piece do you think Brandon Rogers and whoever he gets in January will have enough to get Celtic over the line title wise I think

He should have enough I think there’s enough already there in that Squad that they’ve got and having Brendan Rogers as manager we can’t yes there’s been quite an underwhelming start and uh something has looked a bit off but this is what Celtic are paying big money for Brandon

Rogers for he’s meant to be one of the top coaches and he sees himself as one of the top coaches in the world um this is he’s going to have to earn his his money big time and this is a real challenge for him actually um going into

The Derby then going into the winter break going into the Asian cup as well um so yeah I think Celtics should have enough whether they do is going to be up to how Brendan Rogers the board the recruitment everything uh pans out and I’m not just talking on the field I mean

Like we’re talking about the green Brigade being banned that kind of situation it’s just caused more unrest and more Hassle and brought more attention on the club than perhaps needed to be yeah so it’s the I think Rogers was calling for Unity in his press conference um earlier today

And ahead of the the Livingston game but that that what he’s meaning there is the whole club the fans the board everyone needs to be pulling in the the same direction and you can’t always get that football clubs I get that but Celtic were blessed with that for two seasons

Under an yeah everyone was pulling in the same direction everyone bought into what an was doing he was almost like a messiah figure and and to be fair Rogers was in his first season at Celtic as well but um he’s got to sort of earn that

Respect back uh from the people who were saying well what what are you what have you come back for not the people that are doubt I don’t think many people doubt his abilities but people doubt his motive and reasoning for coming back yeah yeah I think that’s what it’s at

And I think it was always going to be given maybe less Goodwill than than any other new manager might have been given the the way that he left last time out and I think that’s proved to be the case he had a couple of bumps in the road at

This moment in time and people have been very quick to jump on I’m actually say surprised at the the calls you know for him to be sck that he’s not the right man for the job and maybe it’s the minori you know sometimes I go on Twitter and believe that’s real life and

Maybe that’s that’s our fault on me but there’s no doubt there’s been a a disconnect across the club whether it’s been the ongoing green Brigade Club Battle um maybe some disconnect between Rogers and the the board all these kind of things and I can understand that call

For Unity I think that’s what we need you know know any club divided um is going to struggle you’re not going to be successful longer term if that’s your approach so I’d like to think maybe you know the green Brigade getting back in and a few other things a strong January

Window might just start to repair some relations across the board and and hopefully Celtic can kick on from there just just any final comments Anthony from um from yourself in terms of what you what you expect from this January transfer under we’ve all seen how Celtic operate at different times sometimes it

Works well sometimes not so much and I’d argue the summer there was one of the poorest in recent times but what are you expecting to see just as we’re starting to close out this episode I’m expecting at least a couple of ready made starting signings um I think one will come in the

Form of a left back um the other will be competition for the strikers um and I think there’ll be quite a few outgoings quite a few whether that’s even just loans on some of the projects uh about also they might have offers come in for the likes of bernabi lager

Beela and I do think they might be tested on Matt O’Reilly and maybe even hatti and that might prove to be quite a test so we’ll it’ll be interesting to see how that develops because um yeah two prized assets on both on um long-term contracts I think

Uh there’s a lot of interest in both of those players and whether that interest is acted upon in January while there’s the uncertainty for Celtic at the moment of champ promising these players Champions League football next season and whether that might be an influence as well so let’s let’s see um how that

Develops but yeah I think left back Striker plenty of outgoings quite a few away on loan of the projects and and I’m expecting a test on uh O’Reilly or hatate or both yeah do you know you’re going to have me stressing over my Christmas anony the the prospect of M

Leaving midseason Andre a player I love and and I hope he’s back sometime soon Anthony as always it’s just a big thank you for myself it’s always great to catch up on the the various comings and going hopefully Celtic are in decent shape by the time the the January window

Opens and hopefully we’re even even better shaped by the close of that as I said it be great to catch up with you then but in the me have a great Christmas and we’ll speak to you soon thank you hope everyone else has a good Christmas and New Year

The January Transfer Window opens in little over a week and for Celtic it could be one of the most important windows in recent years.

The reward for lifting the Scottish Premiership title this season is automatic qualification for the new (and substantially more lucrative) Champions League, and it’s a must that Celtic take their place at European Football’s top table in the 2024/25 season.

This window allows Brendan Rodgers a chance to bring in the quality that we so desperately need and top of his shopping list must be a left back and a striker – and hopefully a few more besides.

Almost as important will be the exits as the manager looks to trim down his 32-man squad to a more workable number.

Will we see some of our summer recruits departing earlier than planned? Will Rodgers be backed with the quality needed to take his side to the next level?

We’re about to find out!

Tino was joined by Anthony Joseph of Sky Sports News to speculate on who stays, who goes, and who comes in as Celtic look to kick on in the second half of this all important season.

Tune in now to this Christmas Eve bonus as we get set for a another tense few weeks of transfer talk at Celtic Park!

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