There's been no shortage of transfer activity at Celtic Park but the feeling could hardly be more different to last year. Where in summer 2021, Ange Postecoglou was tasked with overhauling a beleaguered squad set to lose a raft of its biggest names, this season he has the comparatively simple task of adding to a title-winning squad.
The Celtic boss has already secured permanent deals for Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers, as well as adding Alexandro Bernabei and Benjamin Siegrist to his ranks. But with the Champions League group stage on the horizon, Postecoglou wants and needs more.
Aaron Mooy looks set to join as a free agent and Lorient defender Moritz Jenz has emerged as a target over the past 24 hours. The policy thus far of adding depth in key areas is consistent with the manager's declaration after the weekend friendly draw with Blackburn Rovers. If Celtic are to compete on all fronts, including Europe, in the coming season then the key is ensuring quality across the board.
Postecoglou said: “The squad is looking really good but on days like today we want to make sure we don’t lose our effectiveness when a couple are missing. We had a pretty hectic schedule last year. The reality is we’ll play close to 60 games. Champions League on a weekly basis will add stress to the squad which is why I’m keen to bring in a couple more, to make sure we’re strong and robust.
"Last year it affected our ability to perform at a really high level. I don’t think it’ll be a bigger squad, just more robust with quality." With those words in mind, Record Sport looks at Postecoglou's current options in every position and how, with the addition of just a few more players, he will have a level of depth consistent with his weekend comments.
Goalkeeper
Joe Hart
Benjamin Siegrist
Scott Bain
Toby Oluwayemi
Right-back
Josip Juranovic
Anthony Ralston
Centre-back
Cameron Carter-Vickers
Carl Starfelt
Christopher Jullien
Stephen Welsh
Osaze Urhoghide
Left-back
Greg Taylor
Alexandro Bernabei
Centre midfield
Callum McGregor
Yosuke Ideguchi
James McCarthy
Ismaila Soro
Reo Hatate
David Turnbull
Matt O'Riley
Right/left wing
Jota
Liel Abada
James Forrest
Daizen Maeda
Mikey Johnston
Striker
Kyogo
Giorgos Giakoumakis
Albian Ajeti
Two potential XIs
Postecoglou has moved decisively thus far in the window to add an extra option at left-back in Bernabei and in closing hugely important permanent deals for Carter-Vickers and Jota. He is now set to the experienced Mooy to his ranks but it seems unlikely the title-winning boss will stop there.
Had Jullien's move to Schalke not fallen through, Postecoglou may have already brought another centre-back by now. The Frenchman's departure would have left him with three options in Carter-Vickers, Starfelt and Stephen Welsh – the departure of Nir Bitton at the end of last season also means Celtic no longer have that emergency option at the heart of defence.
With that in mind, an additional centre-back seems a likely addition between now and the end of the window with Lorient's Jenz emerging as a target on Monday night. The 23-year-old defender looks likely to depart Ligue 1 this summer and a loan move to Glasgow is on the cards.
Either way, the potential additions of both Mooy and Jens would certainly move Postecoglou's towards the "robust with quality" end product he's been craving. However, at least one more signing would still be needed – another striker. Still, as can be seen below, Postecoglou will feel it’s coming together nicely.
On paper, he would now be able to field two separate XIs which don't include any players you'd deem surplus to requirements, such as Jullien or Ismaila Soro, who also looks likely to depart in the coming weeks and months. Who exactly qualifies as first choice is up for debate but the two hypothetical teams demonstrate that the depth the manager wants is now becoming a reality.
And with a departure or two, Postecoglou would avoid the unwanted scenario of his squad becoming bloated. There may even be room for another midfielder, given the previous pursuit of Vinicius Souza and links to Argentinos Juniors star Fausto Vera.
Interest in Souza, in particular, suggested Celtic wanted to add a midfield destroyer to complement the raft of technical talent already operating through the middle. This seems particularly important if the club want to compete in the Champions League and while Mooy has qualities, he doesn't quite fit that bill.
READ NEXT
