The Celtic Star’s January Transfer Window Review

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The Celtic Star

·03 de fevereiro de 2026

The Celtic Star’s January Transfer Window Review

Well after a lifetime’s worth of drama inside one month, the transfer window is finally shut and I for one will be glad to see the back of it and the focus finally getting back to trying to win a league that has felt like a nightmare at certain points during this season.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill looks on during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on February 01, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

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I can pretty much guarantee Martin O’Neill will feel the same way, he must to be sick to death answering questions about potential transfers.

So in the end what do I make of it all?

Well to be honest I’m surprised to say that I’m actually less angry than I thought I would be. My expectations were low, and that perhaps has softened the blow today. Have we pulled off any signings that has overly impressed me? No, but I have to say at least we got players in to fill the positions we have been struggling in.

We all knew we desperately needed at least one striker in. We got two. We definitely needed someone for the right wing, after worries around his medical we almost missed the boat on this one but managed to get it over the line before the deadline.

We also brought in a right back and a centre back, areas that perhaps needed extra cover due to injuries. Personally I would have liked an extra midfielder, one with a bit of grit, but unfortunately that wasn’t to be.

01.02.2026 Celtic v Falkirk, SPFL Premiership Tomas Cvancara heads opening goal 1-0 Photo Kenny Ramsay IMAGO

So that’s the positives. The negatives for me are perhaps the standard of some of the new recruits. Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu aren’t the most prolific goalscorers, but as we have seen already with the big Czech who has a goal and an assist already after two games, there is certainly potential there that they could prove useful in the right environment.

Joel Mvuka, our new right sided winger, is another whose stats don’t exactly scream out first team starter. Another who perhaps was viewed highly when younger but who has failed to hit those expected heights.

We then have two players from completely different ends of the spectrum. Julian Araujo has exactly the type of pedigree we should be looking. A talented international player who was just struggling for game time at his current club. He’s come in and greatly impressed, exactly like I thought he would do.

Keith Andrews (2R), Manager of Brentford, and players, Benjamin Arthur (C) and Keane Lewis-Potter (R) applaud the fans after victory in the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Sheffield Wednesday and Brentford at Hillsborough on January 10, 2026. (Photo by Harriet Massey/Getty Images)

Then we finally have Benjamin Arthur, the young centre back from Brentford. A bit of a head scratcher this one as he has so little experience, to me he looks like a slightly less highly rated version of Jahmal Simpson-Pussey, who of course barely featured during his time at Celtic, although there were rumours surrounding his attitude not being all it could be.

A lot of Celtic fans are fuming today about the club failing to spend any money during this window, and I understand the fury. Personally however I’m absolutely fine that we have shopped in the loan market. We are on the cusp of a huge transitional period for the club.

We are all hoping for changes to the board come the end of the season but even if we aren’t that lucky, we know we will definitely be getting a new manager and also someone to fill the currently vacant position previously held by the much maligned Paul Tisdale, that director of football type role.

Celtic manager Martin O’Neill arrives prior to the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on February 01, 2026. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

There is certainly an argument to have surrounding whether Martin O’Neill was backed as well as he should have been but I can also see the justification in not bringing a handful of recruits in now on permanent deals, then when the new manager takes over in the summer potentially being stuck with players on long term contracts that the manager doesn’t fancy.

In the loans deals for Adamu, Cvancara and Mvuka there has been a potential to buy clause inserted, something that we know from the mishandling of the Adam Idah transfer is hugely important. So in reality we have three ‘try before you buy’ deals secured, something I’m a big fan of. Just think how happy we would be if we had taken this route with the likes of Tounekti and Balikwisha. It’s worked out exceedingly well in the past with the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Jota.

It’s disappointing there seems to be no such clause in the deal for Araujo or Arthur, but I can’t say I’m surprised. Both these players are highly regarded by their clubs and have been loaned out to gain more game time and experience rather than with a view of selling them on.

Julián Araujo of Celtic. Falkirk v Celtic, Scottish Premiership, Falkirk Stadium, 14 January 2026. Photo Vagelis Georgariou

Araujo is one I can imagine we will all be clambering for the club to sign permanently at the end of the season but I can’t see Bournemouth wanting to lose him, and I would be surprised if we could match his wage demands in any case.

So while I’m not overjoyed about how the window panned out I’m not overly disappointed either. We have brought in a decent standard of player, while perhaps not being the certain starters we all craved, they are certainly good enough to put pressure on those who currently are in the starting eleven. I’m hoping the fact they are here on loan with the option for Celtic to make it permanent will mean they will be going all out to impress.

Tomas Cvancara of Celtic celebrates with Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren and Dazien Maeda after scoring the opening goal. Celtic v Falkirk, Scottish Premiership, Celtic Park, 01 February 2026. Photo Mark Runnacles IMAGO / Shutterstock

This summer is going to be the biggest transitional period perhaps since Ange Postecoglou arrived, in fact it will potentially be even greater. We all pray that the malaise surrounding the board will get sorted out as soon as possible but until then we have to support the team and these new recruits as much as possible as we give it all to try and retain our league title.

Just imagine the boost a packed Celtic Park in full voice would give to the team.

Over to you Michael…

Conall McGinty

Celtic in the Thirties by Matt Corr. Click on image to order