Celtic transfer update on 3 deals amid latest squad omission as no timeline set for O'Neill return
· Mark Atkinson · 2026-08-07 · nguồn gốc
Celtic transfer update on three deals amid latest squad omission as no timeline set for Martin O'Neill return
Manager will make late call on whether to attend Kilmarnock match
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill will make a late decision on whether he will attend Sunday’s Premiership match at Kilmarnock after suffering a health scare.
O’Neill attended hospital and underwent what Celtic have described as “a minor procedure”. The 74-year-old is recovering at home and his assistant coach Shaun Maloney oversaw training at Lennoxtown and performed media duties in the Northern Irishman’s absence.
Maloney was planning on checking in with O’Neill later on Friday and on Saturday ahead of the trip to Rugby Park and said the coaching staff are ready to step into breach should he not be fit enough to preside over first-team matters.
“I went to see him last night, so it was really positive,” said Maloney. “He got out of hospital yesterday. He was in good form last night. Loads better than he was Monday, Tuesday. Hopefully those sort of positive feelings that he has continues.
“There is no timeline So even for the game at the weekend, it's a sort of day-to-day. We saw him last night with regards to the preparation for the game. So he wasn't in today. I'll speak to him this afternoon and then he'll make a call for tomorrow. And then I'd imagine he'll make the call. If it's this weekend, great. If it isn't, then we'll prepare for it without him.
“We'll definitely miss him if he's not there. But you also have to respect what's happened the last few days. The impact that he's had since October, yeah, it's been nothing short of incredible, really. The things that he does with the players and the staff. So we will miss him, but we'll be prepared. We've got some brilliant senior players. We'll see. We'll let him make the call and he'll definitely do that.”
It was left to Maloney to field the inevitable questions on recruitment, with Celtic reported to be closing in on Oviedo’s Egyptian winger Haissem Hassan, who was left out of their squad for Saturday’s friendly with Le Havre.
“Not too sure,” was Maloney’s response on the status of a potential deal. “Look, the processes around the club this summer have generally been always Martin and Michael Nicholson [chief executive].
“I don't see anything changing in the squad for this weekend. So I know you guys saw Jota training, but apart from him being unavailable, everyone else is fit. Transfers, no, I don't see anything changing.
“I don't see any ins or anything like that this weekend. And all the rest has generally been for Martin and Michael. I think over the next couple of days, if anything changes, or they ask some of us to have a bit more responsibility, we're absolutely ready to do that. But at the minute, Martin is still all over that.”
Speculation continues over the futures of right-back Alistair Johnston and midfielder Arne Engels, who are coveted by Everton and West Ham respectively. “Nothing's changed really,” said Maloney on the pair. “I know there's been interest in the two of them over the last couple of days. The two of them are training really well and it can be difficult as an individual, but they've been good. They've trained really hard.
“It can be hard for these guys, but they're training fine. We've seen it before at this club. They have to act a certain way until obviously they're not here, but the two of them have been really good.”
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.