The transfer window is open and Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers will be determined to make it count by adding some new blood to his group at Lennoxtown.
Nevertheless, the Bhoys are now the only club in the Scottish Premiership not to have announced any fresh arrivals, which has ignited some familiar feelings of frustration among the support.
Granted, it is still only June, signifying there is plenty of time for the inevitable to happen; however, you can’t blame people for feeling a little restless.
After all, Celtic are competing in the new format of the Champions League this campaign; meanwhile, it isn’t too long before the domestic season commences, with five friendlies coming first against Ayr United, Queens Park, DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Celtic and frustration murmurs in the window
It is still very early in the transfer window and signings will come, but there is a sense of boredom among Celtic support awaiting the first domino to fall in the market.
Joe Hart’s retirement has left a major void between the sticks; however, months on from communication of his decision, there is still not a clear indication of who his successor could be.
Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka and Sparta Prague’s Peter Vindahl Jensen have emerged as two prominently mentioned figures. Regardless, neither pursuit looks to have advanced any further in the last few days.
There may also be a waiting game regarding the potential captures of Paulo Bernardo and Adam Idah amid Brendan Rodgers’ desire to have both back at Parkhead after their successful loan spells.
Ultimately, both their parent clubs retain control of their situations and will have demands they insist on being met before sanctioning either prospective departure. Either way, slow-moving transfer stories don’t exactly excite fans desperate to see incomings, even if they are perfectly natural at this stage.
It is important to remember that Rodgers may want to take stock of his squad before addressing certain positions. Bosun Lawal is someone who has generated excitement at Parkhead amid his successful loan spell at Fleetwood Town, but will need to be tested in pre-season to show his worth as a long-term asset.
The potential international tournament caveat for Celtic
Some have suggested the fact that there are two major international tournaments ongoing could be a reason for the lack of known transfer activity at Celtic, which is a reasonable train of thought.
Conceivably, any prospective targets involved at either EURO 2024 or Copa America will have their full focus on delivering for their country, putting their club future on the back burner.
Meanwhile, those already headed home from either competition will be intent on resting for a while before deciding on their next move. Career decisions aren’t easy to take, so it isn’t hard to understand why some individuals may want a few weeks to crystalise their thoughts.
On a different note, it is worth noting that Celtic haven’t exactly been famous for letting information out over recent years. Most of the time, you hear about a deal when it is near completion rather than having minute-by-minute updates on the situation from reporters.
Internally, running a tight ship has become the club’s modus operandi on the transfer front. Nevertheless, it would be nice for us supporters to be thrown a bone.