Michel-Ange Balikwisha is set to be handed a rare opportunity to revive his Celtic career after struggling badly to make an impact since his £5 million move from Royal Antwerp last summer.
The DR Congo international was tracked by Celtic for around 18 months, but the highly anticipated signing has failed to justify either his price tag or reputation. Balikwisha has managed just 13 appearances in all competitions, with 11 coming from the bench, and has not featured since a brief cameo in December’s 3-0 defeat to Roma. He has also been absent from recent matchday squads following a disappointing Africa Cup of Nations campaign.
Despite growing frustration among supporters — many of whom have already labelled him another costly recruitment misstep — Martin O’Neill has urged the 24-year-old to seize his chance when Celtic face Auchinleck Talbot at Rugby Park.
Speaking about Balikwisha’s situation, O’Neill explained that the attacker has remained patient and professional despite his lack of opportunities.
“He’s just been waiting for his moment,” O’Neill said. “He’s been away at the African Nations, and although he hasn’t had many starts, I did say to him that a new manager might discover he’s as good as anyone at the club. That may still prove to be the case.”
O’Neill added that Balikwisha has only recently returned to full training but will feature in the upcoming match, which gives the manager a chance to assess him properly — even if the artificial surface is not ideal.
The Belgian-born forward sparked speculation earlier this week by removing all Celtic-related content from his Instagram account and posting a cryptic message about 2026 being his year. However, O’Neill insisted there has been no sulking from the player.
“He’s a really nice footballer and a genuinely good lad,” O’Neill said. “He trains well, he’s never complained, and he was very disappointed with how the African Nations went. He blamed himself for part of what happened, even though the goal came much later.”
Although Balikwisha was originally viewed as a potential replacement for Daizen Maeda, O’Neill believes his best position lies elsewhere.
“He’s not a wide player,” O’Neill insisted. “I see him much more as a number 10. He’s not a striker, but he’s definitely not a winger either.”
Remarkably, Balikwisha has not started a match for Celtic since a 2-1 win at Kilmarnock in mid-September — the same venue where he is now expected to be given another chance. O’Neill made it clear that the responsibility now rests firmly with the player.
“This is his opportunity,” he said. “We’ve invested money in him, and now it’s up to him to show what he can do.”
O’Neill confirmed he will rotate his squad for the Scottish Cup tie, despite acknowledging the risks involved. With crucial matches against Bologna and Hearts on the horizon, the manager admitted he must assess fringe players quickly while continuing to push for new signings.
“Somewhere along the line, I need to find out what the players who haven’t featured can actually do,” O’Neill added.
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