Celtic’s summer transfer business is coming under increasing scrutiny, with performances deteriorating game by game.
While there was a brief resurgence during Martin O’Neill’s interim spell, that momentum has quickly evaporated. Wilfried Nancy has now lost all three matches since taking charge, but former Hoops striker Ross McCormack believes the blame should fall less on the manager and more on the players.
Speaking on Open Goal, McCormack sided with Chris Sutton’s assessment that Celtic’s current squad is not of the required standard. As Paul Slane pushed back against that view, McCormack doubled down, singling out several players — particularly those signed during the much-criticised 2025 summer transfer window.
Benjamin Nygren was among those heavily criticised, with McCormack questioning his effectiveness and energy. Sebastian Tounekti, now away at the Africa Cup of Nations with Tunisia, was also targeted, with McCormack suggesting his impact faded quickly after an encouraging start. Club-record signing Arne Engels was another focal point, with his role and influence continuing to draw criticism.
McCormack argued that the players’ struggles cannot be explained by changes in management alone, pointing to poor performances earlier in the season — including a damaging display against Dundee — and suggesting results briefly improved only because rivals faltered.
Despite Slane’s attempts to defend the squad and highlight previous winning runs, McCormack remained adamant that too many players are simply falling short of Celtic’s standards, questioning both form and value for money.
Nygren, who joined from FC Nordsjælland, was initially trusted with a starting role and deployed centrally ahead of Engels, but his contribution this season has now become a major talking point as pressure continues to mount at Parkhead.
Leave a Reply