Celtic entered their Champions League qualifying playoff against LASK having completed fewer summer signings than any other club competing across Scotland’s four professional divisions. A comprehensive analysis of all 42 SPFL teams revealed that manager Martin O’Neill had recruited just four players who had featured in competitive matches by late August, placing the Glasgow club at the bottom of the recruitment standings.
The four arrivals—Camilo Duran, Kasper Høgh, Haissem Hassan, and Mika Baur—represented Celtic’s entire summer business in terms of squad additions. Notably, even League Two side The Spartans had surpassed this total with five signings. Across the Premiership, the disparity was particularly stark, with rivals such as Rangers, Hearts, Dundee United, and Aberdeen all bringing in double-figure reinforcements, while Falkirk topped the table with 15 new players.
Despite the limited number of arrivals, Celtic had invested approximately £32.8 million across the four signings, with resources concentrated on attacking positions. However, significant defensive gaps remained unaddressed heading into the Austrian encounter. The midfield suffered a further setback when Arne Engels departed for West Ham in a £22 million transfer, a move completed before European qualification had been secured. Additionally, left-back Kieran Tierney remained without a reliable alternative on the squad.
Celtic retained the opportunity to reshape their squad before the September 3 transfer deadline, though circumstances had shifted dramatically following their European exit.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
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