Journalist Dubs Celtic’s Deadline Day Move ‘Weird’, Questions Quality | OneFootball

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The quality of new Celtic signing Joel Mvuka has been questioned by a French journalist, who considers the Norwegian to be mediocre and unlikely to significantly enhance the Bhoys’ level.

Celtic did significant business towards the end of the transfer window and got Mvuka in through the door late on deadline day, with the winger arriving on loan from French side Lorient.

The 23-year-old has chalked up more than 180 senior appearances across spells with Bodo/Glimt, Asane, Lorient and a loan stint at Young Boys last season.

Across his professional career, Mvuka has recorded 13 domestic goals and 22 assists, with two goals and one assist coming during his time with the Swiss side in the previous campaign.

Mvuka has struggled to reproduce the form he showed at Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt and made only a limited impact in Ligue 1 with Lorient.

In the view of French journalist Robin Bairner, Celtic’s swoop is ‘weird’ as he believes the winger to be a ‘mediocre’ player in Ligue 1, who will not up the level of the Bhoys squad by much.

The journalist also implied that Celtic may be acting more out of a desire to make a move than making a carefully considered signing.

Bairner wrote on X: “Weird move.

“Mvuka a mediocre Ligue 1 player, so unless Celtic work miracles on him, he’s not going to elevate the level of the squad significantly.

“Smacks of the Celtic board feeling they’re better doing something rather than nothing, rather than actually making a smart move.”

Celtic’s hierarchy have backed Martin O’Neill with additions, bringing in striker Tomas Cvancara, attacker Junior Adamu and right-back Julian Araujo as they aim to defend their Scottish Premiership crown in a three-way battle with Rangers and Hearts.

O’Neill will now hope he has the weapons he needs to keep hold of the Scottish Premiership and also compete in the Europa League playoff round, where they are to face Stuttgart.