Celtic summer transfer window, marked by substantial spending exceeding £20 million, has raised more questions than answers about the club’s recruitment strategy. With the season well underway, a review of the club’s summer signings paints a picture of missed opportunities and underwhelming performances.

Yang (South Korea) – Yang’s 17 appearances have been far from impressive. The South Korean import has struggled to make a significant impact, failing to shine in his outings.

Kwon (South Korea) – Kwon remains an enigmatic figure, having not featured in a match day squad. The lack of visibility and playtime has rendered his signing a mystery.

Lagerbielke (Sweden) – With only seven appearances, Lagerbielke has been a peripheral figure in the squad, especially since Cameron Carter-Vickers’ return from injury.

Nawrocki (Poland) – Nawrocki’s early-season injury setback has limited his involvement to just three appearances. Even after regaining fitness, he has struggled to break into the first team.

Tilio (Australia) – Tilio has been limited to cameo roles after returning from injury, making just two substitute appearances.

Holm (Norway) – Despite making 11 appearances, Holm has not demonstrated the quality needed, often appearing out of depth and not preferred in recent games.

Palma (Honduras) – Perhaps the only semi-successful signing, Palma has scored crucial goals and gained significant playing time due to injuries to key players. His contributions, however, are yet to match or come close to Jota, who left the club in the summer.

Phillips (England) – On a short-term loan from Liverpool, Phillips has played 335 minutes of forgettable football, culminating in a disastrous performance against Kilmarnock, where he scored an own goal and was culpable for the winning goal.

Bernardo (Portugal) – The loanee from Benfica has had a mixed stint, featuring sporadically and mainly on Champions League nights. His future at the club beyond the loan spell remains uncertain.

The summer’s recruitment drive, initiated under Brendan Rodgers’ supervision and carried out by the Mark Lawwell-led scouting team, appears to be a disjointed effort, lacking coherence and direction. The signings, largely ineffective and uninspiring, raise serious concerns about the team’s scouting and recruitment policy. The strategy, seemingly designed for an Ange Postecoglou-led team before his departure to Tottenham, has failed to adapt to the current managerial vision.

As we assess the impact of these signings after five months, it’s clear that Celtic’s summer spending spree has been more of a misadventure than a strategic strengthening. The lack of successful integration of these players into the team’s fabric points to a broader issue within the club’s recruitment approach. The Celtic faithful will be hoping for a more targeted and effective strategy in future transfer windows to bolster the squad adequately.