"We never stop" is the oft-repeated phrase at Celtic and that doesn't just apply to on-pitch matters.
Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a remarkable hit-rate in the transfer market since taking over at Parkhead and is already looking ahead to the January window. The Celtic boss wants to future-proof his Premiership -winning squad on the not so insignificant chance any of his top stars are poached away on the back of the Qatar World Cup.
He said: "We have already started planning and have identified the targets that we need. We will look to bring in players in January that hopefully then insulates us in case any of our players are taken off our hands. It’s part of our planning and we’re well underway in ensuring we are ready for that. Mark (Lawwell) knows how I look at things and we’re planning for the next two, three, four windows - and trying to project what gaps we potentially might have."
Israeli youngster Oscar Gloukh is understood to be among a list of potential targets. The 18-year-old Maccabi Tel-Aviv attacking midfielder was linked with Rangers during the summer window and is so highly-rated his manager previously slapped a whopping £8million price-tag on his head. Here, Record Sport Online takes a closer look at what he could offer.
Who is Oscar Gloukh?
A newcomer on the scene at Maccabi Tel Aviv, Gloukh only made his senior debut in March of 2022 But it's been all systems go since then, he's already registered three goals and four assists in just five league outings so far this eason.
He's known for his ability to carry the ball, ride challenges and get his team up the park. He's also been described as mature far beyond his years - probably why he's a first team regular at just 18.
A star man for Israel at youth level, it looks like just a matter of time before he earns a senior call-up and his price tag is only going to rise. Gloukh only penned his first senior contract earlier this year, but Maccabi are already desperate to tie him down to a new one and maximise their windfall when he does move on, which looks like it will be sooner rather than later.
How do you pronounce his name?
There's no shame in looking at an unusual surname and not having the slightest idea how to pronounce it. And 'Gloukh' is nothing but an unusual surname.
It's hard for native English speakers to get the Hebrew pronunciation of his name spot on - but it's pretty close to 'glook'. Like 'glue' with a K on the end.
What is his best position?
Still just 18 with only a handful of senior appearances to his name, Gloukh is still figuring his game out and has plenty of developing to do. For his club, he's been primarily used as a No.10, but has the physicality and maturity to play deeper.
For Israel's youth teams he's been used as an attacking midfielder and a winger, while ESPN described highlighted his versatility. They raved about him after his starring performance against Austria in the group stage of the U19 Euros, where he scored and laid on a wonderful assist.
They said: "Gloukh was already on the radar of many scouts, having impressed at club level and stood out in the qualifying rounds of the Euros, but few expected that the Israeli would make such an impact. A mature, intelligent and technically brilliant attacking midfielder - part No.8, part No.10, or creative winger - he has won many admirers with his performances and talk of a €10m move this summer is gathering pace.
"Hard to dispossess when running at opponents, Gloukh is a brilliant dribbler, who always seems to pick up the ball in the most favourable positions and is able to slide teammates through with perfectly weighted passes. His exquisite touch to set up the 2-1 goal against Austria was nothing short of sublime and he has been unplayable at times, with an intuition and flair in the final third rarely seen from one so young."
How much will he cost?
Maccabi manager Vladimir Ivic has been about as up front as you'll get on that one, demanding £8m for his services. He said: "We do not want to sell him and we are currently trying to get him to sign a new contract for another four years.
"He wouldn't be sold unless a team offered £8million for him. The most important thing is that the speculation surrounding his future won't have any impact on him because he's a very level-headed kid."
That is likely just Ivic trying to scare off the vultures, as £8m for a player who has barely played at senior level seems very steep. Maccabi's current record transfer is the £6.5m raised from Eran Zahavi's sale to Guangzhou, however, and that would likely need to be broken to land their latest prodigy.
He's only contracted until 2024 as things stand, however, so they may not be in as strong a position to bargain 12 months down the line. That will be in the back of their minds as they push Gloukh towards a new contract.
