Chris Sutton has voiced his concerns over Celtic’s quiet summer in the transfer market, warning that the club has yet to properly replace key figures Kyogo Furuhashi and Nicolas Kühn.
The former Celtic striker believes the lack of incoming business could give Rangers a boost ahead of the new season.
Celtic banked £19 million from Kühn’s sale, a deal Sutton admits represents good value, but the Hoops legend feels the void left by the winger and Kyogo is significant. Both played major roles in last season’s domestic double, and Sutton fears their absence has not been addressed quickly enough.
The Parkhead side head into their Champions League qualifiers with uncertainty over their attacking options. While Brendan Rodgers has acknowledged the need to reinforce up front, Sutton says the delay in doing so is worrying. He pointed out that Kyogo’s replacement should have been secured as far back as January.
Sutton also cautioned against complacency after years of dominance. He believes some supporters may take success for granted, but warned that standing still in the transfer market can have serious consequences when rivals are looking to close the gap.
He said: (The Warm-Up), “Well, look, I mean, Celtic at this moment in time, if you’re a Rangers fan, you’re quite encouraged by the lack of business Celtic have done.
“Nicolas Kuhn, interesting, £19 million, good money for him. I do think it’s good money for him, but Charlie mentioned the Champions League qualifier coming up, and let’s get it right, last season it wasn’t a title race. Celtic had buried Rangers in the first half of the season, winning 16 out of the first 18, and the title race was over.
“But it’s interesting, at the end of the season, Celtic still won a double, lost the cup to Aberdeen, and yet, because of their dominance in recent seasons, there’s maybe a certain feeling of entitlement among some of the support. They feel that winning is just normal. That’s dangerous.
“I do think, in the cold light of day, Kyogo, I’ll bang on about Kyogo loads, but they needed to replace him in January. Brendan spoke about that in January, the need to replace him. They didn’t replace him then, and they still haven’t replaced him now.
“Nicolas Kuhn’s gone. You look at their goals and assists between the two of them last season, they’re not big players in stature, but they leave enormous holes to fill.”
Celtic’s dominance last season masked the fact that their squad depth had already begun to thin. Without fresh attacking firepower, Rodgers may find it more difficult to maintain that level of superiority across all competitions.
The Champions League qualifiers loom large, and the absence of a proven goal threat could be a costly gamble.
Kyogo’s movement and finishing were vital to the team’s attacking play, while Kühn brought creativity and directness from wide areas. Losing both without swift replacements risks blunting Celtic’s cutting edge.
Rangers have strengthened, and while that does not guarantee a shift in the balance of power, it does mean Celtic can ill afford to be caught short. The transfer market clock is ticking, and patience among supporters will only stretch so far.
If Celtic are to maintain their domestic dominance and compete credibly in Europe, the next few weeks in the market will be crucial.
The warning from Sutton is clear, delay any longer, and the Hoops could be giving their rivals the encouragement they’ve been waiting for.
