January moves off the park could decide Scottish Premiership title race

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The Celtic Star

·12 de enero de 2026

January moves off the park could decide Scottish Premiership title race

Hearts and theRangers are throwing everything they’ve got in as both clubs attempt at winning the title. It’s a golden chance for both clubs in a season where Celtic has been our own worst enemy. It’s now vital over the that over the next few weeks we do the same and that means backing Martin O’Neill in the transfer window…

Will Michael Nicholson back the manager in this window or will he instead look to cover the not insignificant cost of hiring and firing a dud manager and his sidekicks who turned Celtic into a points dropping laughing stock in their eight matches in charge of the team.

Nancy and Co. lost six of their eight matches including a Premier Sports Cup Final, a home match against Hearts and a Glasogow Derby also at Celtic Park?

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Brian Wilson, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

The Celtic CEO talked about backing Nancy in the January window but with the recruitment targets being selected by our former Football Doctor Paul Tisdale, Nicholson may have some reluctance in putting our money where his mouth is. But doing nothing would be even worse so what does Nicholson and his boardroom colleagues do?

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill in dugout with Celtic interim assistant manager Shaun Maloney and Celtic assistant coach Gavin Strachan. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Photo Stuart Wallace IMAGO/Shutterstock

Listen to Shaun Maloney’s advice to Martin O’Neill that the legendary manager has considered prior to telling the CEO that he’s signing off on the players in question.

After the weekend, the race for the Scottish Premiership title unusually looks very much like being of the three horse variety, with Hearts, ourselves and our Glasgow rivals theRangers all battling it out in the aim to be crowned champions of Scotland.

Hearts have already added a couple of additions to their squad, and are still looking to bolster it with the Gorgie side still in the market for new blood. And theRangers has also splashed the cash, and like their wee cousins from Edinburgh, they are actively looking to add more players, as they seek to win only the second league title in their 13 year history.

Benjamin Nygren celebrates his goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Dundee United at Celtic Park on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

At the weekend Celtic returned to winning ways with a fine performance in the 4-0 victory over Dundee United, helping with the goal difference. Hearts relied on a wonder save from Craig Gordon in the closing seconds in their narrow 1-0 over Dundee and celebrated at the final whistle like title contenders. Then theRangers got the better of a terrible Aberdeen team for the second time in five days, scooping up the six points against currently the worst team in the league.

All three contenders will be happy enough with their weekend but the title could come down to what happens off the park in the next few weeks as much as on it in the four months remaining in what has been a bizarre and unpredictable season in the mad world of Scottish football. The biggest surprise possibly has been that Celtic has been the maddest club of the lot and by soon distance.

Martin O Neill with Julian Araujo. Celtic v Dundee United, Scottish Premiership, Football, Celtic Park, 10 January 2026. Stuart Wallace/Shutterstock

So far Celtic’s recuitment amounts to adding Julian Araujo who arrived on loan from Bournemouth, but much more is required in the market, with a target man being our number one priority.

Over the past week we been linked with a host of names, most recently Mohamed Bamba, with the likes of Kieran Bowie and Callum Wilson also in the mix as speculation increases the further we get into month.

Talk is cheap though, and what we need is action. We need at least three new faces in the door if we harbour any hopes of winning a fifth consecutive championship. Having emptied our trophy cabinet of both the Scottish Cup and Premier Sports Cup we cannot contemplate the Scottish Premiership trophy heading to Ibrox or Tynecastle.

A proven striker is what we require most of all. Someone who can find the net on a regular basis, someone who can convert the ton of chances we create by the bucketload in each and every game. With Celtic playing like we did on Saturday it will be rich picking for any decent goalscorer.

A creative and goalscoring threat on the right hand side of the attack would be just as welcome with a central defender also high up on the wish list, although it looks like the cheap option card has already been played by re-calling Stephen Welsh midway through his season-long loan at Motherwell where he has admittedly been outstanding.

Our rivals are going all out in the pursuit of glory, yet we have much more money in the bank, we just need some ambition from the boardroom. There is literally no excuse not to. We have the means at our disposal to secure our aim of finishing top of the pile come May.

We now have a manager and coaching staff capable of winning Scottish Premiership matches. It’s vital that they are backed if we are to achieve our target.

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