Celtic could have transfer war chest for Martin O’Neill to spend as board fight to win over fans
The Celtic board may finally have listened to the fanbase after it was revealed how much Martin O'Neill could have to spend in the transfer market this summer.
Celtic fans protested throughout the season as they felt there had been a lack of ambition from the board last summer to support then-manager Brendan Rodgers.
Failure to qualify for the Champions League, Hearts' title challenge, and the disastrous reign of Wilfried Nancy, also heaped pressure onto the board, with Peter Lawwell standing down as chairman last December due to the protests.
With Martin O'Neill having agreed to remain as manager for at least another season, Celtic fans will urge the board to get out the chequebook to improve the squad.
Celtic have not been helped by long-term injuries to Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota, but the Hoops have still yet to find a reliable goal scorer up-front since Kyogo Furuhashi's departure in January 2025.
With Rangers having already secured Hearts striker Lawrence Shankland, Celtic can not afford to have another quiet transfer window.
Celtic handing huge transfer kitty to Martin O'Neill
O'Neill already has big decisions to make on the futures of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kelechi Iheanacho, with the former currently a free agent.
Former Celtic and West Ham striker Frank McAvennie said on his Let Me Be Frank podcast that he has heard that O'Neill will be given £40million to spend this summer.
The Glasgow club only spent around £13.5m on transfers last summer, with plenty of loan additions signed in January to bolster the squad.
Celtic should have no excuses not to sign their top transfer targets with a healthy transfer budget as high as £40m, a figure which should easily outmuscle both Rangers and Hearts.
Sources have told Football Insider that Gyor midfielder Milan Vitalis is on their radar alongside Motherwell winger Elijah Just and Go Ahead Eagles goalkeeper Jari De Busser.
Celtic need to act quick this summer
Whilst O'Neill will want to keep his best players at the club, there is a possibility that the likes of Arne Engels and Benjamin Nygren will depart this summer.
Both players could bring in hefty transfer fees, putting further pressure on O'Neill and the board to sign strong replacements.
With the Hoops in the final qualifying round for the Champions League, and with their domestic campaign starting in less than two months time, the futures of players need to be sorted quickly to facilitate new signings.
O’Neill looks set to receive strong backing from the Celtic board, and if their recruitment is smart, there should be fewer protests from supporters in Glasgow next season.