With the transfer window closing in less than 48 hours, tensions are rising over Celtic’s summer business and the club’s long-term vision.
Former manager Neil Lennon has defended the club’s cautious approach, pointing to the financial limitations that come with playing in Scotland. He believes Champions League qualification is the only way to attract top-tier players to Parkhead, suggesting the market simply doesn’t allow for £12-15 million talents to choose Celtic without that stage.
Chris Sutton wasn’t buying it. The ex-Celtic striker accused the club of poor planning, highlighting the failure to replace Kyogo and other key figures as unacceptable. For Sutton, it’s not about excuses—it’s about action, and he believes Celtic haven’t done nearly enough to show proper ambition this summer.
Kris Boyd weighed in from the outside, taking the view that chasing European success is a fantasy. He suggested Celtic’s true goal should be staying ahead of Rangers domestically, because the idea of regularly challenging in Europe just isn’t realistic given the financial gap with top leagues.
Neil Lennon said: (Sky Sports), “Maybe the players that Brendan’s wanted of that quality, the ones who can take the club from the knockout rounds to the last 16 or even the quarters, they cost money. They’re quality players, but they’re not coming to Scotland unless it’s Champions League football.
“But if I’m an agent of a player Celtic wanted, and he’s worth £12-15 million, I could take him to La Liga, or maybe Serie A. I can take him to Scotland, but the carrot in Scotland is Champions League football.”
Chris Sutton then responded: “Neil, you’re making excuses. No, you’re making excuses. The bottom line is Celtic had to get replacements in for these players. Other clubs get it done, and it’s just too easy to say, well, let’s just wait and see.
“Other clubs get it done. To lose Kyogo and not replace him… who knows? Had Celtic kept Kyogo, they could have won the cup final.
“To actually sell Kyogo while still in the Champions League, was that the right thing to do? That’s where supporters question the club hierarchy’s ambition.
“ It’s not just enough to stay ahead of Rangers. The supporters want more than that.”
Kris Boyd would then hit back at the pair, he said: “What are you going to do, though? Stay ahead of Rangers in terms of what? You’re never going to conquer Europe.
“It’s all could have, would have, should have. If you look at it, could have won the cup, could have gone further in Europe.
“ Last year against Bayern Munich was the glass ceiling for Celtic.”
Chris Sutton wasn’t letting Kris Boyd’s European verdict go unchallenged. After Boyd claimed Celtic were chasing something unattainable and should focus solely on staying ahead of Rangers
He said: “I understand what you’re saying, Kris. But it’s as simple as this: it’s about giving yourself the best opportunity of qualifying for the Champions League.
“And did Celtic do that? They didn’t. Hence why a lot of supporters think it’s a dereliction of duty. Hands up. I feel the same way. There should have been players replaced. Kyogo should have been replaced.
“Nicholas Kühn should have been replaced. And Brendan has to take responsibility for the team on the pitch. Having Kieran Tierney, who cannot finish a game, and then playing Liam Scales at left back…
“That’s not good planning. That’s not good strategy. You can say it’s a collective fault, but not bringing players in has been the biggest failure for Celtic over the last few months.”
As the clock ticks toward deadline day, Sutton’s criticism has struck a chord with many supporters who feel let down by the club’s handling of this window. The failure to replace key players has left gaps across the pitch, and unless deals are done soon, Celtic may head into Europe undercooked again.
Lennon’s defence of the club adds useful context, but it won’t ease frustrations if Celtic fall short in Europe once more. Supporters are tired of the same issues repeating window after window, and time is running out to fix them.
Boyd’s stance may be rooted in realism, but for a club of Celtic’s size, settling for domestic superiority is not enough. History, expectation, and belief all demand more.
The next 48 hours are massive. Celtic must act now or face another campaign defined by what might have been.
