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Standout Celtic Star Flourishes, But He Needs Help - Opinion | Latest Celtic News

· Mark Devlin · 2026-08-11 · nguồn gốc

Celtic’s transfer business is not finished yet, and Sunday’s 5-1 win at Kilmarnock should not change that. Everything clicked at Rugby Park. Kasper Hogh opened his Celtic account after just 63 seconds and had a first-half hat-trick to his name before the teams went down the tunnel. It was the sort of performance supporters have been waiting to see, particularly after the far less convincing 1-0 Premiership opener against Dundee. Players looked sharper, the attacking play had purpose and the Celts punished Kilmarnock rather than allowing the game to drift. Haissem Hassan is expected to travel to the UK today to finalise his move before undergoing a medical. His arrival would provide another attacking option, but there is still work required elsewhere. Mark Hendry wrote on CeltsAreHere Extra Time that the club remain active in the market for further reinforcements. Central midfield needs quality, particularly with speculation continuing around Arne Engels, but left-back is another position that cannot be ignored. Kieran Tierney has started the campaign superbly. His pinpoint cross created Benjamin Nygren’s goal against Dundee before Tierney was withdrawn after 83 minutes. He then completed the full 90 at Rugby Park on Sunday. Tierney looks refreshed. There is an energy about his game again that supporters will recognise from his first spell at the club. That makes protecting him even more important. Tierney is currently the Hoops’ only senior recognised left-back. Going through a demanding season with him as the only natural option in that position would be an unnecessary gamble. He cannot be expected to start every week without adequate cover. Tierney’s fitness record also has to be taken into consideration. Managing his workload is not about wrapping him in cotton wool; it is about making sure one of our most influential players is available when the biggest fixtures arrive. He played 53 times in all competitions last season, scoring six goals and providing 12 assists. No defender set up more Premiership goals (eight). The Marcelo Saracchi situation will still be fresh in supporters’ minds. The Uruguayan provided solid cover during his loan spell and recently revealed that he and his agent did everything they could to make the move permanent. No deal materialised and Saracchi is now with Houston Dynamo. Greg Taylor has also been linked with a Parkhead return, only a year after leaving Celtic. Taylor departed looking for a new opportunity following Tierney’s return to the Scottish champions. There has been no confirmation of a formal Celtic offer to bring him back and, if he did return, the situation would be clear: Tierney is first choice. That is also the profile Celtic are looking for. They do not need somebody to arrive and displace Tierney. They need a left-back capable of stepping into the team without Celtic having to drastically alter how they play. Sunday showed what this side can look like when things click. The next step is making sure there is enough depth to maintain it across an entire season. Celtic are actively looking for another left-back, and given Tierney’s importance and the lack of another senior option, it is business that needs to be done.