Martin O’Neill ‘to force the hand’ of Dermot Desmond in late Celtic transfer move
Martin O’Neill is in a strong position to agree a couple of late January additions to the Celtic squad.
That is according to ex-Aberdeen, Aston Villa, and Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who believes O’Neill is currently “protecting” Dermot Desmond at the club.
Celtic fans have been protesting against the club’s board this season, and are wanting the likes of Desmond to resign from their positions at the club.
O’Neill is taking charge of Celtic until the end of the season, but with the club six points behind in the Scottish Premiership title race, only two loan signings have been made so far.
Celtic want to complete ‘couple’ more signings
Aberdeen’s former chief Keith 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 – is backing Celtic to be “active” in the final days of the January window.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness thinks O’Neill’s return to the Glasgow club has “quietened down” the fanbase.
He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Well, Dermot Desmond must be wearing a Martin O’Neill type bulletproof vest at the moment with his face all over it because that’s what’s protecting him, is St Martin.
“There’s no doubt that the fans have quietened down. Well, certainly on the pitch they’re backing Martin and they’re seeing an improvement certainly, but they haven’t quietened down in terms of the activities around the board, and the spending which still remains the issue as we’ve been talking about I’m afraid for so long now about the lack of investment in the Celtic squad.
“It’s what Brendan Rodgers left for. But I think Martin is in a particularly strong place right now to try and force the hand and I would expect Martin to have had a word in the ear that he does want a couple of people in, and I think there is still time to get something going, and I’d expect Celtic to be a little bit more active.”
Arne Engels makes transfer decision
Celtic midfielder Arne Engels has been linked with a departure from the Glasgow club, in what could have proved a blow to O’Neill.
However, Engels will not push for a Celtic exit in January and is expected to remain at the club until the summer at least.
Bundesliga club RB Leipzig had been interested in signing Engels, who has scored four goals in 22 Scottish Premiership appearances this season.