The deadline has come and gone, with questions left to ponder as to quite what to make of the transfer window from a Celtic perspective.
Yes, the headline may have been the glorious return of former hero Jota – who marked the start of his second spell by sealing the win at Motherwell at the weekend – but has that £8m switch somewhat blinded from an otherwise poor period of business?
There’s no denying the delight at seeing Celtic’s new number seven back at Parkhead, ready to rip Premiership defences to shreds once again, as he did so successfully under Ange Postecoglou.
And yet, there is an argument that the Hoops squad is now weaker than when the window started, having allowed 85-goal sensation, Kyogo Furuhashi, to join struggling Ligue 1 side, Rennes, on a £10m deal.
That mid-season exit would have been swallowed had an adequate replacement been brought in, yet Brendan Rodgers has been left empty-handed, forced to rely on £9.5m man Adam Idah for the remainder of the season – a player who boasts just six Premiership goals this term.
Kieran Tierney is, of course, set to make his own emotional homecoming in the near future, yet with a January loan switch having been ruled out for the Scotsman, the Hoops were forced to settle for another Premier League talent instead…
What Jeffrey Schlupp brings to Celtic
Jeffrey Schlupp signing on loan from Crystal Palace in the last knockings of deadline day was unlikely to have been on anyone’s transfer bingo card, with the versatile 32-year-old joining on a short-term deal until the end of the season.
A former Premier League winner at Leicester City, the veteran asset does provide a wealth of experience for Rodgers’ side, albeit while having failed to start a single game in all competitions in 2024/25 to date.
As Rodgers stated, Schlupp is “a fantastic guy, someone with real high-level experience and with great attributes including power, pace and versatility”, yet after the excitement surrounding a potential early return for Tierney, this last-gasp move feels like something of a let down.
Not that the Ghanaian should be judged before he’s taken to the field, however, while his ability to operate at left-back or in a more advanced role should certainly make him a useful asset.
With Alex Valle having unfortunately returned to parent club Barcelona to subsequently sign for Cesc Fabregas’ Como, it will likely then be a straight battle between Schlupp and Greg Taylor on the left flank, ahead of Tierney’s return this summer.
Greg Taylor's market value at Celtic
Something of a marmite figure at Parkhead, Taylor now resides in a precarious position in Glasgow.
Market Movers
Currently the first-choice left-back, the 27-year-old will seemingly be aware that he will likely lose that crown in just a matter of months, when Tierney officially signs on a free transfer.
It is perhaps no surprise then that the Scotland international is seemingly contemplating a free transfer switch of his own, having yet to extend his contract which expires in June.
Rodgers did previously hint that getting the full-back to agree terms was a “priority”, albeit while then admitting in December that he is aware that it is one of Taylor’s “last big contracts”, such is the point in his career.
A straight swap then could occur, in essence, if Tierney arrives and Taylor walks out the door, although it would be of frustration to lose the latter man for nothing, particularly considering his current market value.
19 games
0 goals
5 assists
7 big chances created
1.4 key passes*
88% pass accuracy*
1.7 tackles*
0.6 interceptions*
53% total duels won*
14.4x possession lost*
As per Transfermarkt, the former Kilmarnock man – who signed on a £3m deal back in 2019 as Tierney’s replacement – is worth €7m (£6m), thus placing him ahead of even new man, Schlupp, who is deemed to be worth €6m (£5m) at present.
There is perhaps a world in which Rodgers and co should’ve cashed in on Taylor either in January or last summer, in order to try and earn a profit on their initial investment, yet having seen Valle depart and allowed Alexandro Bernabei to move on permanently, the situation is now as it is.
A player capable of whipping in an assist as he did for Luke McCowan against Dundee, while also guilty of lapses like his errant pass in the League Cup final, the £15k-per-week asset remains an enigma.
If he does choose to move on at the end of the campaign, he can look back on his part in a glittering period of domestic dominance under both Postecoglou and Rodgers. As for the club itself, however, they may regret not cashing in on such a servant when they potentially had the chance.
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5 ByDan Emery
