Ange Postecoglou has arrived as the Celtic manager with an enormous rebuilding job ahead of him. Celtic were poor on all fronts last season and the Australian will know that he needs to hit the ground running in order to regain all three trophies and achieve Champions League football. The 55-year-old has won titles in Australia and Japan as well as the 2015 Asia Cup with Australia but he will know how important it is that he gets his recruitment right.
We have looked at the defence and the goalkeeper positions but today, we look at the central midfield position.
Celtic lost their captain Scott Brown at the end of the season with the 36-year-old moving to Aberdeen to take up a coaching/playing role. Brown won 22 trophies during 14 successful seasons at the club but now, Postecoglou needs to attempt to replace Brown with a captain as well as a central midfielder.
Callum McGregor is the heir apparent to Brown in both the middle of the park and in the dressing room but the 28-year-old needs support from his teammates in a season where he so often found himself exposed. McGregor was carrying the load as his game time over the last five seasons caught up with him. Subsequently, he was on the end of some criticism from supporters but the performance as Scotland draw with England proved that he was still a top class operator.
David Turnbull proved to be an excellent acquisition from Motherwell even if it took until December to have him integrated into the first team. By that time, the league was all but gone and we were out of the Europa League and the League Cup.
Ismaila Soro also made an impact for a short period this season. Like Turnbull, he was given his chance in the dead rubber against Lille. The tenacious midfielder was excellent at breaking up play and getting things moving. His enthusiasm was sometimes a touch
Tom Rogic is one man that will have been ecstatic at the announcement that his former Socceroos boss will be arriving in Glasgow. The 28-year-old has struggled for fitness and game time in the last couple of seasons. However, Postecoglou reiterated that Rogic will be involved going forward but that he needs to make sure that the playmaker is fit. Rogic proved in spells last year that he can still be a big player and Postecoglou will know that from their time together with the National Team. Hopefully we can see the Rogic from 2016-18, as opposed to the player that has been plagued by injuries since January 2019.
Ryan Christie is one of the names linked with a move away as the attacking midfielder midfielder enters the final year of his contract. Christie, 26, has coped some flak from the support owing to some audacious attempts at goal but in all, he has been a hard working member of the team that was probably lacking in any real direction. Christie always looked to play the harder pass or take a shot at goal when, perhaps with better coaching, he might have been more effective. It is likely that the player will depart as Celtic look to maximise their value in the player as opposed to losing him for free.
A question mark sits beside Olivier Ntcham’s Celtic future. After a quiet start to the season, Ntcham left for Marseille and it appeared that a move to Ligue 1 would be the Frenchman’s next step. However, it soon turned sour with AVB walking and new boss Jorge Sampaoli bombing him out the starting XI. The player has been heavily linked with AEK Athens but apparently Celtic remain unwilling to let him leave for free. As one of Celtic’s higher earners, the club will want to realise some value in the player but it is a tricky game given that interest may dry up after a deal is struck. But it is highly unlikely that we will see Ntcham in a Celtic top next season.
Luca Connell impressed on loan with Queen’s Park and there is hope that he can make an impact in preseason. However, he is likely to make another loan move as he seeks game time ahead of a charge into the first team picture.
Scott Robertson is someone that could make a big impact this season. The 19-year-old was on loan with Gillingham and Doncaster Rovers last year and earned rave reviews. Despite his age, he could be ready to return to Celtic and make an impact given his powerful displays in England’s League One.
Potential signings
Aaron Mooy – Celtic have been heavily linked with a move for Socceroo Aaron Mooy. The 30-year-old plays with Shanghai Port but Ange is supposedly very keen on setting up a reunion in Glasgow. The player actually has played in Scotland before, during a loan spell with St Mirren where he bagged a Scottish wife. However, fans will know Mooy from his time in England. Mooy impressed on loan at Huddersfield, before making the move permanent. He then moved to Brighton for £12m following The Terriers’ relegation. He has been playing in China since a move from Brighton in 2019 but COVID-19 restrictions in the country mean that seeing his family is extremely difficult so a move to Celtic cold very well be on the cards.
James McCarthy – The former Hamilton and Wigan midfielder grew up a Celtic supporter and has been linked a number of times in his career. However, with his deal expiring with Crystal Palace, the club could look to sanction a move to bring the Ireland International back to Scotland. The 30-year-old would likely add some experience to the Celtic midfield but the talk has died down recently since Mooy has been linked.
Patrick Berg – Celtic have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old this summer. A Norwegian news outlet claimed that a Scottish side were interested and that a fee of £1.3m would be enough to prise him from Bodo-Glimt. This speaks to excellent value for a mobile, tenacious and talented midfielder, who is well placed to replace Brown and add some quality to the Celtic midfield.
