(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Sun 31 May 2026 12:38, UK Updated Sun 31 May 2026 13:21, UK

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Celtic will struggle to bring new faces into their squad in the early stages of the summer without a permanent manager in place at the helm.

That is according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes that deals should only be done without a manager with “asset protection” in mind.

This comes after Celtic recently confirmed that winger Yang Hyun-Jun has penned a new contract with the club, which will keep him as part of the group at Parkhead until at least 2030.

The 23-year-old has been an influential figure for Martin O’Neill’s men this season, as he ended the campaign with 10 goals to his name in all competitions.

That form has seen him rewarded with a new deal, but Wyness has been clear that Celtic’s further transfer plans should be put on hold until a final decision is made on their new manager.

Keith Wyness: Celtic at risk of bowing to ‘agent pressure’

Aberdeen’s former chief Wyness – who served as CEO at Pittodrie between 2000 and 2004, had lengthy spells as the chief of Everton and Aston Villa and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes that the Bhoys could be vulnerable to “pressure from agents” when it comes to their summer business.

Celtic are still hunting for their next permanent appointment, and while they are keen to try and persuade O’Neill to take the reins for another season, it remains to be seen how he feels about that idea.

Speaking on the latest edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness made it clear that conducting business without a manager in place can often lead to conflict between the boss and the club hierarchy later down the line.

“I understand it from an asset protection point of view to try and re-sign players, but you really would like to have a manager in there that’s giving his stamp of approval,” he said.

“I’ve seen many times and I’ve been involved when decisions have been made when we’re about to get new managers and after the event, of course, they start blaming us because they weren’t the ones that they wanted.

“It is best to try and do that, but of course, there’ll be pressure from agents, and if it is about asset protection that gives the club a better position to negotiate any sales, then it’s more understandable. But actually signing new players is a difficult one for me without the manager in place.”

O’Neill to take boardroom role in Bhoys ‘dream team’

Wyness also told Football Insider earlier this week that O’Neill could take on a role as Celtic’s sporting director, making room for Robbie Keane to come in and lead the team as manager.

The 45-year-old is out of work having recently resigned from his post at Ferencvaros after failing to win the league title in Hungary, and is now on the radar at Parkhead as a result.

Wyness suggested that O’Neill should be given a significant say as to who succeeds him in the dugout next term, and added that it could be a “dream team” for Celtic if he stayed to help Keane from upstairs.

The likes of Roberto Martinez and Craig Bellamy have also been hevaily linked with the vacant post in recent months, and it remains to be seen which direction the board will choose to go in this summer.