'We're talking big-money signings' - Exclusive: Pundit reacts as Desmond's Celtic plan revealed
Nicky Hammond deserves to be under serious threat of being sacked as director of football at Celtic.
That is the view of former Rangers and Scotland defender Alan Hutton who, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, believes there has been a lot of money wasted on new signings at Parkhead this season.
As revealed by Football Insider, Hammond is under "major threat" of the sack as chief shareholder Dermot Desmond plots significant boardroom changes ahead of the summer.
As director of football, Hammond oversaw the likes of Shane Duffy, Albian Ajeti and Vasilias Barkas, all of whom have struggled for form, arrive for a combined £12million last summer.
Hutton has admitted the transfer business at Parkhead has been nowhere near good enough and that it is no surprise the recruitment chief is on the chopping block.
"By the way, we're talking big-money signings here, we're not talking about young boys that they have taken a risk with, not cost too much and they've maybe tried to sell on, we're talking about big money for Scottish Football," Hutton told Football Insider.
"It's not worked out, you just have to look at Villa, for example, with the sporting director (Jesus Garcia Pitarch). He brought in 12 players that didn't work, got sacked the next year.
This is a high-pressure job that they're in, dealing with big teams, big signings, big money and it's not worked.
"The signings that have come in have not been good enough - Duffy, big fee, big wages, and he's looked a shadow of the player that we've seen in past seasons.
"So, these things haven't worked out and normally when that happens, your head's on the line."