Football pundit Chris Sutton identifies six (6) key Celtic stars who he believes have been “failed by their own club.”

Chris Sutton says six key Celtic players have been “let down” by the club hierarchy

Chris Sutton believes six senior Celtic players have been “failed” by the club’s leadership following what he described as a disastrous summer transfer window.

Celtic endured a chaotic and frustrating recruitment period, scrambling to secure last-minute signings on deadline day. Despite the club’s strong financial position, spending was minimal, leaving fans furious and sparking ongoing protests against the board.

The club attempted to defend its transfer strategy through an unsigned statement, which only angered supporters further. Chief executive Michael Nicholson later admitted that “mistakes had been made” and promised lessons would be learned ahead of future windows.

Sutton slams recruitment and backs Celtic’s senior core

Writing in his Daily Record column, Sutton claimed that key figures like Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Liam Scales, Reo Hatate, and Alistair Johnston have all been let down by the club’s poor recruitment.

He believes the responsibility now falls on these experienced players to carry the team through to the January window:

“It’s frustrating for supporters that the squad wasn’t strengthened properly. That comes down to an incomprehensible recruitment policy,” Sutton wrote.
“But it’s done now. The squad is what it is until the New Year, and those same players—McGregor, Carter-Vickers, Maeda, Scales, Hatate, Johnston—will have to shoulder the burden.”

Sutton pointed out that several of Celtic’s summer signings are already out of contention for selection, describing the situation as a reflection of how poor the club’s recent transfer dealings have been.

The growing concern for Brendan Rodgers

Sutton has defended the efforts of Celtic’s senior players, arguing they’ve been left exposed by the lack of squad reinforcements. Even for a club as dominant as Celtic, regular squad refreshment is essential to maintain standards and energy levels.

The absence of that renewal has contributed to sluggish performances and a noticeable dip in tempo. With McGregor, Maeda, and Hatate among those struggling for form, Sutton warned that Celtic face a challenging period ahead unless changes are made in January.