Wilfried Nancy told the two players Celtic must sign in January, club legend reveals all
Celtic legend Pat Bonner has told Wilfried Nancy that he needs a defensive-minded player in January as well as a new striker.
The Old Firm side finally picked up their first win under Nancy on Sunday as they beat Aberdeen 3-1.
It was a dominant performance from the hosts, which helped relieve the pressure on Nancy, who has already been facing sack calls at Celtic Park.
However, the display was far from perfect, with the Hoops needing two late goals to secure the three points, despite the Dons being down to 10 players for the entire second half.
As a result, with the January transfer window around the corner, Bonner has been quick to tell Nancy to bring in reinforcements.
Pat Bonner: Nancy needs defensive reinforcements
The January transfer window is crucial for Celtic if they are to have any hope of winning the Scottish Premiership title.
Hearts remain above the Hoops by six points. However, the Jam Tarts have played a game more.
Mick Brown recently confirmed to Football Insider that Celtic “will be aware” they have to spend in January after their recent run of results.
- Celtic beat Aberdeen 3-1 on Sunday
- However, despite the Hoops’ domination, they struggled to find the net until the end
- Poor finishing saw Celtic rattle the woodwork three times
Now, Bonner, who made 483 league appearances with Celtic, has told Nancy to target a defensive player in January.
He told BBC Sportsound on 21 December: “Celtic need a striker to put the ball in the back of the net.
“Any top, top class striker would’ve probably scored maybe three or four goals there today. There is no question.
“He’s just got to tighten up those defensive qualities. That’s the bit I would think he might bring in a player to consolidate that.”
Celtic’s defensive record explained
On the face of it, Celtic’s defensive record has not been a big issue this season.
To date, they have kept the most clean sheets in the Scottish Premiership at 9, while also conceding the fewest goals at 14, alongside Hearts.
However, this does not tell the full story.
Celtic have not kept a clean sheet since their 1-0 victory over Dundee at the start of December.
Even under Martin O’Neill, the Hoops were prone to shipping goals, conceding once against Rangers, Hibernian and Feyenoord, while also letting in three to Midtjylland.
Therefore, Booner is perhaps correct that defensive reinforcements are needed to finally plug this hole in the backline.