HE might have missed out on re-signing Victor Wanyama last night but Neil Lennon, who today picked up the first Manager of the Month Award of the season from the league’s sponsors for August, declared himself happy with the way the transfer window panned out for Celtic.
“I think it’s a very good window,” the Celtic manager said today to the media as reported by FourFourTwo.
Congratulations and well-deserved, Neil! ????
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) September 3, 2019
“Very pleased to get Mo (Mohamed Elyounoussi) in, another attacking option. Greg (Taylor) was a little bit prolonged but we got the deal done, and the two young lads, Lee (O’Connor) and Jeremie (Frimpong), will be ones for the future. But with the talent they have, they could make an impact this season. So we are very pleased with the business we have done.
“The club is united, let’s get that right. There’s been a lot of sniping but we stayed very strong on it and composed and knew what we wanted to do.
“These things take time but the window has closed and I am very happy with the quality of the squad, the players we have brought in and the players we already had.”
Greg Taylor will immediately provide stiff competition to Bolingoli for the left back position in Lennon’s team. The 21 year old Scotland international is very experienced in the Scottish Premiership and with the Belgian, who signed in July for £3million from Rapid Vienna, finding his feet in a Celtic jersey, Lennon seems to have plenty of options at left back in the post-Kieran Tierney era. The Celtic manager has been impressed by Taylor and had him high on his list of summer targets.
“He is hungry to be here, you could see that in his interview,” the Celtic manager said.
“In the last couple of seasons he has been one of the most consistent players in the country and we are delighted to get him on board.”
???? WATCH: #CelticFC manager Neil Lennon reacts after his team beat #RangersFC 2-0 in the #OldFirmDerby pic.twitter.com/6HatiqIBzc
— PLZ Soccer (@PLZSoccer) September 1, 2019
Celtic also seem to have been putting an increased emphasis on improving the standard of player in the Development squad. Yesterday’s captures from the two big Manchester clubs certainly seem to show ambition.
Man Utd losing Lee O’Connor (21) has certainly upset the Old Trafford fans and Frimpong (18) is well grounded and was highly rated at Man City. They join Irish youth internationals Luca O’Connell and Jonathan Afolabi who had already arrived in this window.
“It’s important that we try and find these players earlier with the way the market is now,” Lennon explained.
“It’s certainly changed since I was last here. We are just trying to be a little bit ahead of the curve if we can.
“It’s very difficult to get the level of player for the money that we have but if these four come in and develop and progress the way we want them to, then we think we’ve got real talent.”
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