Celtic £9m Move Collapses As O’Neill Suffers Setback: How Did The Transfer Window Fare For The Hoops? | OneFootball

Celtic have suffered another transfer blow after Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis became a missed target, with the proposed move collapsing before the European deadline. CeltsAreHere first reported on September 2 that the £9m-rated midfielder would not move to Glasgow, and Torino boss Ignazio Abate confirmed the situation had ended a day later. No personal terms were agreed, while talks between the clubs failed to reach the stage needed for a transfer.

Gineitis, 22, had attracted Martin O’Neill for much of the summer because the Celtic manager wanted more energy and quality in midfield. The failure is significant because Arne Engels left for West Ham, while 19-year-old Joel van den Berg arrived from PSV after the club completed much of their midfield work late in the window. However, Glasgow World reports that manager Martin O’Neill is not happy with Michael Nicholson.

How did the summer transfer window fare for Celtic

There is a fair case for rating the summer business at 6.5/10. Celtic added youth, pace and attacking threat through Kasper Høgh, Haissem Hassan and Camilo Duran, then added loans for Sam Johnstone, Landon Emenalo, Shumaira Mheuka and other late arrivals. The problem sits in the sequence, not simply the names.

That issue showed up before the Champions League tie with LASK. Celtic needed key additions earlier, yet much of the recruitment came after the damage had already landed. The 5-4 aggregate defeat exposed the cost of that delay, and the late scramble looked less like planned squad building than a response to pressure. Six deals clustered around the deadline made the process harder to defend.

Celtic can point to Duran, but midfield remains the concern

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND – AUGUST 29: Celtic manager Martin O’Neill is seen during the William Hill Premiership 2026/27 match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on August 29, 2026 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Camilo Duran gives O’Neill a reason for optimism. His two goals against Falkirk in the 2-1 win showed why Celtic bought him, while his subsequent goal against Aberdeen took his recent run to six goals in five games.

Yet Duran’s form doesn’t solve the midfield problem. Reo Hatate’s exit and the failed £9m Gineitis pursuit leave O’Neill short of the experienced central option he wanted, even with Van den Berg arriving for around £3.5m. Loans such as Johnstone and Mheuka help immediately, but they don’t create a lasting core.

The 6.5/10 score therefore feels fair. Celtic improved several positions and found a forward already delivering, but they left one major piece unresolved because the Gineitis deal never reached the finish line. For O’Neill, that failure may sting more than Duran’s goals can disguise.