Sources: Big update on Celtic transfer plan & 3 potential signings in final week of Jan

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Published on:

25 Jan 2021, 1:30 am

The planned changes at Celtic mean their transfer plans are up in the air going into the final week of the January window, Football Insider understands.

This site revealed a fortnight ago that Hoops majority shareholder Dermot Desmond is overseeing major changes behind the scenes as he assesses the wreckage of a calamitous campaign.

A Celtic source has told Football Insider that the knock-on effect of potential management, executive and squad changes is that there is major doubt over whether there will be any senior January signings.

Manager Neil Lennon had been hoping to seal a number of new signings to strengthen his embattled squad this month.

A bid of around £1million had been prepared for Exeter City wide forward Joel Randall but is now on the backburner.

Potential pre-contract recruits for the likes of Preston North End duo Ben Davies and Ben Pearson had also been on the cards as Celtic looked to exploit cross-border rules to land England-based players ahead of their contracts expiring in the summer.

Desmond and the Hoops chiefs may instead look to start with a clean slate going into the summer.

Lennon's position is under huge threat amid a management review of his position.

As revealed by Football Insider, recruitment chief Nicky Hammond could also pay with his job after only being officially appointed last October.

Perhaps most significantly of all could be the departure of longstanding chief executive Peter Lawwell.

Desmond is planning an orderly transition at the top of the club and that could mean Lawwell, 61, stepping aside after 17 years in the post.

Billionaire powerbroker Desmond is said to recognise changes need to be made on the executive and football sides of the club.

As revealed by Football Insider earlier this week, Ross Desmond, one of the majority shareholder's three sons, is set for a hands-on executive role as part of the shake-up.

In other news, Celtic are set to announce a big-name hire after terms agreed.

Celtic