Brendan Rodgers will be excited to make a splash in the market with Celtic by bringing in some fresh additions at Parkhead.
Several incomings and outgoings are expected; however, it has been a quiet start to the window as the Irishman takes stock before pre-season gets underway.
The goalkeeper situation is a matter of priority for Rodgers; meanwhile, left-back, central midfield, and the striking position are also areas that need to be strengthened.
Despite this, there is one transfer avenue Celtic shouldn’t look to exploit unless absolutely necessary as they aim to make inroads on the recruitment front.
Celtic and the straight loan market with no option to buy
Loans can be a brilliant avenue of recruitment in football, as they can open a portal to obtain players temporarily that wouldn’t usually be financially viable. On the flip side, an individual could just need regular game time, producing a try-before-you-buy scenario that suits both parties.
Nevertheless, from a Celtic standpoint, having no option to buy present in these deals is counterproductive. They ultimately don’t make the club money down the line, and if they do well at Parkhead, it can be difficult to acquire the man in question permanently.
I don’t want to bring it up, believe me, but Adam Idah could end up being a prime example of my theory in practice.
Following his nine goals and two assists in 19 appearances for Celtic across the second portion of 2023/24, the Irishman is now back at Norwich City, and there is no further indication of what will happen with his future as of yet despite Rodgers’ intent to have him back at Parkhead.
Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup is keen to evaluate the Cork-born man in pre-season, which could delay the Bhoys’ pursuit for time to come. Of course, he could well join; regardless, it shows how fraught with danger the loan market can be and the lack of certainty it provides.
Off the top of my head, Paddy Roberts, Robbie Keane, Craig Bellamy and Jason Denayer are some other examples where a permanent transfer wasn’t thrashed out, albeit some of these were in different eras and their situations possessed alternative permutations to Idah’s predicament.
Ideally, loans without a stipulation to purchase the player outright should be for supplementing the squad in times of desperation or if a high-calibre star is on the market that is simply too good to turn down.
Other than that, you want signings that can turn a profit for the Bhoys somewhere down the line.