Martin O’Neill can get a tune out of Julian Araujo at right-back

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The Celtic Star

·6 January 2026

Martin O’Neill can get a tune out of Julian Araujo at right-back

Martin O’Neill can get a tune out of Julian Araujo at right back in a Celtic back four…

Julian Araujo of Celtic – new loan signing from Bournemouth at Celtic Team Training on 2 January 2026. Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney will soon be taking their first training session much to the relief of the squad who will be as pleased as the supporters to see the legendary manager back at Lennoxtown.

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A squad of players who respected and gave nothing less than one hundred percent for the Irishman, and they will be joined by an extra recruit in the shape of Julian Araujo who signed on loan from Bournemouth just under a week ago.

Julian Araujo of Celtic – new loan signing from Bournemouth at Celtic Team Training on 2 January 2026. Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

The Mexican international right back who made his debut from the bench in Saturday’s Glasgow Derby defeat is a highly regarded talent, and a player who I reckon will flourish under the guidance of the Irishman.

Araujo’s game is based on his strength and overall commitment, with his attacking side of the game as good as his defensive attributes, so its safe to say that he’s a player who will thrive in the Irishman’s system, and much more effective than he would have on the right hand side of a three man backline, a position in which Nancy most likely had him earmarked to play.

With Alistair Johnston out for the next few months, and Tony Ralston low in confidence due to a poor run of form, mainly from being played out of position by the hapless Wilfried Nancy, this could indeed be the ideal time to bed the on loan Bournemouth man into the side.

Julian Araujo of Celtic – new loan signing from Bournemouth at Celtic Team Training on 2 January 2026. Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

Sixteen times capped former La Galaxy and Barcelona man Araujo is keen to impress especially with the World Cup on the horizon, one of the main reasons he decided to move to Glasgow. That along with Martin O’Neill’s influence, the Mexican could well prove to be vital cog in the Irishman’s system.

He’s very much a player I’m looking forward to see utilised under the leadership of Martin O’Neill and hopefully he’ll start at the right side of a back four on Saturday against Dundee United. This is now a match the Celtic support is looking forward to rather than dreading as would have been the case had Kamikaze Nancy still been in charge.

Shaun Maloney and Martin O’Neill at Celtic Park on October 28, 2025 (Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

He has paid the price and it’s now going to be left to Martin O’Neill to try to save our season. For that he needs the backing of the entire Celtic support and that means bringing back the Green Brigade, starting on Saturday. That is essential for all sorts of reasons and hopefully the Celtic Board will realise this and sort ahead of the game.

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