The Hoops are scrambling in the final days of the window to add new faces

22:48, 29 Jan 2026Updated 22:56, 29 Jan 2026

Celtic v Utrecht – Best of the Europa League action from Parkhead

Martin O’Neill admits he can’t “guarantee” more new recruits at Celtic before the end of the transfer window.

But the interim boss is optimistic that there will be new faces in the door amid rising pressure from supporters. Celtic have snapped up Tomas Cvancara from Borussia Monchengladbach until the end of term but are still in the market for another frontman – with Julian Araujo’s loan arrival from Bournemouth the only other new face to come into Parkhead this month.

Supporters are keen to see more additions before the winter window concludes on February 2, with the club sitting in third spot in the Premiership. O’Neill has openly admitted the squad need new faces to fight on all fronts – after securing a spot in the Europa League knockout phase with victory over Utrecht.

Speaking to TNT Sports after the final whistle, attention quickly turned to the transfer window. O’Neill insisted: “We are making progress.

“I think we can move it along in the next couple of days. I’m very hopeful we can get some recruits in.”

Asked how many players would be enough to “satisfy” him, O’Neill responded: “Oh, that I don’t know. It”s like anything else – you are trying to look for a bit of quality.

“First of all, supplement the squad to improve it, if that is the case, and that is what we are trying to do. It’s not been easy – not just for us, but for other clubs.

Celtic boss Martin O’Neill paroles the Celtic Park touchline

“Celtic fans think it’s always us, but I have had transfer windows myself – not at Celtic necessarily – where you are just twiddling your fingers and letting the day got passed, as much as anything else. So, we are trying to do some work and we think we can do it.”

Pressed on if there was a “guarantee” that by the deadline there would be new faces inside Celtic Park. O’Neill conceded: “You keep questioning me – guarantees, promises, all that type of thing.

“I can never guarantee anything, I don’t think any of us can in the game, but we are very, very hopeful.”

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