NEIL LENNON identified David Turnbull as his first signing target as Celtic manager, the second time around. He also wanted to keep Mikael Lustig, a player his signed on a free transfer from Rosenborg in January 2012, but yesterday the Swedish full back confirmed that he was leaving Celtic after failing to reach agreement with the club.
At the start of this week Scott Brown spoke to the media and talked about the club currently speaking to both Turnbull and Lustig with a view to getting deals done.
So it’s been, let’s call it a frustrating week for Celtic.
Yesterday both Neil Lennon and his assistant John Kennedy spoke to the press. One of his quotes appeared on social media and was immediately liked by Turnbull, who presumably was checking his phone from Norwich where he was busy agreeing terms and taking his medical ahead of his £3.25million move from Motherwell.
Mikael Lustig had a medical at Gent earlier this week so presumably has decided to head over to Belgium for the last few years of his career, or he may even head home to Sweden. He has plenty of offers apparently. Unlike Turnbull he wanted to play for Celtic but it was not to be.
Celtic have yet to add to the squad but the the summer departures are mounting up and more could be heading out the door before the summer is over. Where though are the arrivals and what – or who – is the problem? No prizes for guessing…
Neil Lennon spoke to Celtic TV probably to try to re-assure an increasingly agitated support.
“We are looking to make some additions and it will be important to integrate them in as quickly as possible,” Lenny said.
“There is a huge amount of work going in and we hope we will get some positive news soon.”
The Champions League match with Sarajevo is three weeks away and the early team news is that Anthony Ralston starts at right back. That’s not another team leak, just a recognition that he is the ONLY right back at the club.
It’s a tough draw. We don’t know much about them but by the time the tie comes round, we will be fully prepared,” Lenny said when asked about the Bosnian Champions.
“We will have analysis done by the time we are in Austria and we will do some prep work there. The games come so early that the players won’t be 100 per cent where they want to be.
“But you then have a week to the second leg and that gives more time for fitness work. It’s important to get a decent result in the first leg to improve on the second leg. The player have come back in good condition this week. I’m pleased with that.
“The international boys are still off, so it’s staggered but they will come back soon. We have three friendlies in Austria and Switzerland and that will be enough to get them up to speed.
“We will get the international boys for the second and third games over there.”
