The state of the Celtic squad as we prepare for flag day on Sunday

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The Celtic Star

·28 Juli 2025

The state of the Celtic squad as we prepare for flag day on Sunday

As Celtic prepare to raise the Premiership flag against St Mirren — the same side they drew 1-1 with on the final day of last season — attention has already shifted from last year’s silverware to the realities of the season ahead…

Celtic’s Lisbon Lion, Jim Craig unfurled the league flag ahead of the kick-off against Kilmarnock. before the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic FC and Kilmarnock FC at Celtic Park on August 4, 2024. (Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images)

While optimism remains following another league triumph, questions are rightly being asked about whether the current squad is ready to go again — especially in attack. So let’s have a look at the squad ahead of the new campaign…

Video OneFootball

Goalkeeper

COMO , 24-07-2025 , Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia , season 2025 / 2026 , Como Cup football , match between Ajax and Celtic , Celtic goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel Ajax – Celtic friendly. Photo IMAGO

Kasper Schmeichel brings immense experience between the posts and is expected to start the season as the undisputed number one. But there are signs emerging he’s getting down to low shots a lot more slowly now, which is no surprise at 39 years of age. Meanwhile Viljami Sinisalo offers backup. Although his role may be more developmental at this stage, he’s already applying some heat to Celtic’s No1. He may well see a fair amount of football this season, and the signs are he’s ready to grab his chance. Ross Doohan has replaced Scott Bain in the role that rarely plays, so for the start of the campaign, the position looks adequately covered.

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Right Back

COMO, ITALY – JULY 26: Wenderson Galeno of Al-Ahli SFC competes for the ball with Alistair Johnston of Celtic FC during the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

At right back, Alistair Johnston and Tony Ralston continue their first choice, rotation option dance, with emerging talent Colby Donovan pushing for minutes after an impressive pre-season — a healthy mix of reliability and youth. The drop of from Johnston to the rest is arguably too great, but it is also unlikely to be a position the recruitment team or the manager consider for a priority purchase in this transfer window.

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Central Defence

COMO, ITALY – JULY 26: Cameron Carter-Vickers of Celtic FC competes for the ball with Fahad Al-Rashidi of Al-Ahli SFC during the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Central defence is reasonably well stocked, on the right-hand side. But is it secure enough? Cameron Carter-Vickers is returning to fitness and should again be a cornerstone, once he gets back up to speed, with Dane Murray impressing in pre-season as a rotational option.

Auston Trusty of Celtic FC in action during Como Cup match played between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

Auston Trusty has been a standout left-sided partner in pre-season and with Liam Scales reliable as backup it is difficult to see Celtic looking for further strengthening in the transfer window, unless one of these options receives an offer from elsewhere. But you get the impression the manager isn’t fully convinced by either player yet. If an opportunity to sign the right player arises, perhaps Celtic would press the button, but for now it seems unlikely.

Liam Scales heads in the 4th Celtic goal during the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

As a fifth defender Stephen Welsh remains with the club but is likely to want to move on for first team football. That opens up a possible signing of a loan option or a promotion from within. If it was to be the latter someone would have staked a claim in pre-season. That’s not happened. So Celtic’s recent links with Man City and a loan deal for Jahmai Simpson-Pusey make sense, but you’d doubt he’s heading north unless he’s getting first team football.

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Left Back

Celtic player Kieran Tierney iin action during the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Kieran Tierney’s return from Arsenal instantly elevates the left-back slot to international standards. However, it’s a fragile strength — Tierney’s injury record is well known, and with only Hayato Inamura as cover (a modest signing with no top-level European experience), this position represents the first real area of risk. Should Tierney face a prolonged absence, Celtic may regret not moving sooner for further reinforcements such as previously linked Keita Kosugi.

Hayato Inamura of Celtic FC in action during Como Cup match played between Al-Ahli and Celtic FCat Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

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Midfield

Callum McGregor with the Adidas Trophy after Celtic defeat Newcastle United 4-0 during the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Paulo Bernardo of Celtic FC competes for the ball with Fahad Al-Rashidi of Al-Ahli SFC during the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Midfield is perhaps Celtic’s most settled area. Captain Callum McGregor remains the ever-present heartbeat of the side, with Paulo Bernardo providing cover in the deep role.

Benjamin Nygren of Celtic Ajax v Celtic, Como Cup Pre Season Football, Football, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como, Italy – 24 Jul 2025Como Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia Italy. Photo Shutterstock IMAGO

Arne Engels scores the first goal from the penalty spot during the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Benjamin Nygren and Arne Engels offer options on the right side of the midfield three — the former a new signing, the latter looking to kick on from a promising debut season. On the left, Reo Hatate staying put is a quiet but crucial piece of business — his creativity and press-resistance will again be vital. Luke McCowan, after an impressive debut season, offers a strong alternative.

Sporting CP v Celtic – Pre-Season Friendly Reo Hatate of Celtic FC runs with the ball during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Sporting de Lisboa and Celtic FC at Estadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal, on July 16, 2025. Faro Portugal Photo DAX Image

Luke McCowan of Celtic FC celebrates with teammate Marco Tilio of Celtic FC after scoring a goal during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Sporting CP and Celtic at Estadio Algarve on July 16, 2025 in Faro, Portugal. (Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)

Six midfielders for three spots, with good profile variation and technical balance, gives Brendan Rodgers a solid platform to build around. If Celtic are in the transfer market for a midfielder it wouldn’t be a surprise, but would it be a priority right now? Possibly not.

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Wide players

Mg Como 24/07/2025 – amichevole / Ajax-Celtic / foto Matteo Gribaudi/Image nella foto: esultanza gol Yang Hyun-Jun. Photo IMAGO

James Forrest of Celtic Ajax v Celtic, Como Cup Pre Season Football, Football, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como, Italy – 24 Jul 2025Como Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia Italy Photo Shutterstock

This is where Celtic’s transfer window starts to unravel however. The attacking options. On the right, the options are Yang, James Forrest and Marco Tilio — the latter likely off to Rapid Vienna. Forrest’s goal on the final day last season was a fine moment for a club legend, but his role must now be primarily off the bench. Yang, for all his hard work out of possession, remains too inconsistent with the ball and in his decision making, and there’s little trust from the manager in any of the three to start big European or domestic matches. With Nicolas Kuhn sold to Como for £17m, the need for a top-level right winger is glaring.

Daizen Maeda of Celtic Ajax v Celtic, Como Cup Pre Season Football, Football, Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como, Italy – 24 Jul 2025Como Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia Italy. Photo Shutterstock IMAGO

On the left, Jota’s injury removes Celtic’s most dangerous wide threat for the foreseeable future. That leaves Daizen Maeda as the sole available option — a hard-working attacker ideally now seen more as a striker than winger, he’ll have to play out wide it seems for now. While he’ll likely start on the left on Sunday, asking him to cover three matches every eight days or so is a recipe for burnout. No other natural left-sided winger exists in the squad, and that is a major failing in squad planning. Even if Nygren is used wide right as a temporary solution, the lack of pace, trickery and consistent end product from the current winger group could be exposed early — especially against deep-sitting defences domestically and high-quality full-backs in Europe.

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Strikers

Mg Como 24/07/2025 – amichevole / Ajax-Celtic / foto Matteo Gribaudi/Image nella foto: Johnny Kenny-Aaron Bouwman

In terms of numbers, Celtic are stocked at centre forward. In terms of quality, it’s less convincing. Johnny Kenny is promising but raw — lacking the technical finesse needed at the top level, for now. Callum Osmand, newly signed from Fulham, has no senior experience beyond friendlies, and, as with Kenny, would benefit greatly from a loan move. Adam Idah has shown value off the bench but continues to underwhelm from the start, and is unlikely to lead the line in high-stakes fixtures.

Como, Italy, 24th July 2025. Adam Idah of Celtic reacts during the Ajax vs Celtic Pre Season Friendly match at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia, Como. Photo: Jonathan Moscrop / Sportimage

That leaves Shin Yamada, a forward brought in from Kawasaki Frontale, who may get an early opportunity. His pace and movement fit Rodgers’ counter-attacking philosophy for Europe, but he arrives in poor form, suffering a crisis of confidence in front of goal. Whether Yamada can overcome that — especially against deep Scottish defences — is the great unknown. Celtic fans will need to get behind him, because arguably the club currently has no better alternative.

COMO, ITALY – JULY 26: Shin Yamada of Celtic FC scores his goal from the penalty spot during the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

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Where we stand and what we need

Celtic’s defence and midfield are in decent shape to start the season, albeit with a question mark over Tierney’s durability and a need to monitor his cover situation. In midfield, there’s a healthy mix of tenacity, vision and depth.

COMO, ITALY – JULY 26: Celtic FC team line up during the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

But in attack, the issues are acute and the solutions urgent. The lack of trusted wingers, especially on the left, is startling for a club of Celtic’s ambitions. The forward line feels cobbled together rather than purpose-built — with too much reliance on Maeda, and a hope rather than an expectation that Yamada will fire.

Ideally Celtic require a left and right sided winger of European class as a bare minimum. If Kenny and Osmand go on loan for their development, then Celtic need another striker. With question marks around Idah as a first choice pick, and Yamada arriving a little shot shy, then it’s not cover Celtic needs, it’s a first pick striker of European pedigree.

CFR Cluj v. Paksi – Europa League Louis Munteanu, Virgiliu Postolachi, and Aly Abeid celebrate during the match between CFR 1907 Cluj and Paksi FC at Dr Constantin Radulescu Stadium in Cluj-Napoca, Romania, on July 17, 2025. Cluj-Napoca Romania Photo Flaviu Buboi

Louis Munteanu from Cluj has been mooted, and he’s the only striker linked of late that stand out as the quality required. But Celtic don’t seem to have pursued that deal since having a £6.9m bid rejected, and Cluj’s owner indicating he wanted in excess of double that amount.

As things stand it may be Celtic would be better served rotating Daizen, Idah and Shin as their striking options. And instead purchasing two top level wide players, while also picking up a high end youthful loan to cover Jota’s absence from the team. With the league opener imminent, Celtic can still get off to a winning start — but if silverware is again the goal, and Europe is about competing rather than participating, this squad needs serious attacking reinforcement before the transfer window closes.

Peter Lawwell, Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay watch on during the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Quarter-Final match between Celtic and Hibernian at Celtic Park on March 09, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

It’s time for the Celtic Board to act — and fast. Just back Brendan, for heaven’s sake.

Niall J

Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter

Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out 5 September 2025. Available to pre-order now.

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