Ange Postecoglou has set out a challenging timeframe for new head of recruitment and scouting Mark Lawwell and Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson when it comes to transfer targets this summer.

The Celtic boss is keen, much like he did in January, to get the club’s transfer business tied up early, with a view to using the extra time no Champions League qualifiers will afford him to maximise the time on the training ground with any new signings as well as the players the club retains.

As reported in The Scotsman, Postecoglou admits the process of targeting the type of player the manager wants is already well under way and now the priority shifts to targeting the players that fits the managers profile. That’s a job it would appear the manager would prefer completed prior to Celtic heading to Austria for their 10- day summer training camp in Austria in the first week of July.

“The work has already started, we’re already planning and I’ve already had conversations with the club about the kind of players we want to identify and bring in.

“Our priority is to try to get that done early so that come pre-season, with us hopefully winning the Premiership and getting straight into the group stage, we know we’ve got a really good opportunity in pre-season to work with the group of players without the pressure of competition.

“It would be great if we could have all the new players in by that time. Sometimes these things are taken out of your hands a little bit, but that’s our intent.”

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Celtic have habitually been somewhat slow of the mark shall we say under previous management, and as a result late in the day transfer deals have often been commonplace, leaving the manager dealing with crucial pre-season preparations minus key personnel who will be utilised during the course of the season.

However, much has changed at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou and it appears the manager is keen to have both new signings and the players already at the club in a position to receive the same level of fitness training and tactical preparation for the season ahead.

Ange during pre-season in South Wales last summer

A 10-day trip to Austria and the series of pre-season matches that have been arranged will also be the perfect time for new signings to be introduced to the current squad and allow a perfect opportunity to bond ahead of a new season and fresh challenges.

With the type of player already earmarked the task now moves to the recruitment team to target the players, and the likes of Lawwell and Nicholson to get the deals done. Now we know the managers preference is for those deals to be signed in time for Celtic flying to Austria in July the hard works starts now.

Niall J