Summer '14 - '15 | Vital Football

Summer '14 - '15

wee_od_88

wee_od_88

Vital Football Hero
Now that the season is officially over, I thought I may as well start a new thread for all the transfer news.

Lets start off with the ins and outs this summer, confirmed and rumoured!

Let's start with players returning from loans (that we know are actually capable or likely to feature):

Tony Watt - God only knows what is going on in this boy's head! He has the potential to be a fantastic player, but if he doesn't calm down and realise he is not THE best player then he will never fulfill that potential! 8 goals and 2 assists in 17 appearances.

Callum McGregor - 12 goals in 37 appearances, all the goals coming in the first half of the season. Notts County were dicing with relegation all season but McGregor has helped keep them up and finished as their top scorer! Looks as though he could be a natural successor to Commons; plays in the same role behind the striker/s or can drift out wide but is more capable of getting back to help our the midfielders when defending.

Tom Rogic - Went back to Australia in January to try and help his quest to go to the World Cup. Hasn't reached the heights he did before we signed him. 8 appearances and only 1 assist. Looks to have some ability but needs to be able to express himself which we haven't seen him do in a Celtic shirt yet. Jury is still out on him!

Dylan McGeouch - Looks to have bags of potential but wasn't expected to get the game time he needed so was allowed to go to Coventry with Steven Pressley who seemed desperate to have him and even spoke of signing him permanently. Despite his talk.....McGeouch has only made 8 appearances all season! Could still have a future but needs to rediscover some form and work hard in pre-season!

Bahrudin Atajic - scored a lovely goal against Motherwell on his debut before Christmas and that led to him being wanted to go out on loan. He went to Shrewsbury in League One but has failed to make the impact that McGregor made at NC. No goals and no assists and the manager suggested he came from Celtic out of shape...despite that comment he has made 13 appearances in the second half of the season. Potential to succeed is there but I just can't seem him making the grade at Celtic I'm afraid.

Jackon Irvine - the other talented young Oz kid has been on loan at Kilmarnock this season and has played all manor of positions. CB, RB, CM, DM and even winger! 27 appearances, 1 goal and 2 assists. Played against Liverpool in pre-season and was fantastic for us in midfield, I'd like to think he could still have a future here!
 
Players Leaving/Contract Expiring:

Kris Commons (may have one year left) - a favourite of Lennon's and after scoring over 30 goals this season, there is no way he won't be given a new contract. Has stated his desire to stay at the club as well, could eventually move into a player/coach role with the club.

Georgios Samaras - has confirmed he will be leaving....but how do you replace someone like Samaras? He doesn't play a particular position and you would have to say he has quite a unique style. I don't think you can replace him like for like, but we can sign one or two to take his place in the team. A winger and a forward (preferably someone with some height).

Steven Moyoukolo - signed on a 1 year deal and had that unfortunate injury. Yet to be seen whether we opt to keep hold of him or allow one or two of the younger players come through. He was always going to be back-up but he was good back-up (when fit of course).

Lewis Toshney - I can only imagine he has been injured all year as he should have been out on loan otherwise. Similar to Jackson Irvine in that he has played a number of positions; CB, RB, RM, RW. He has the attributes to be a good player but lacks the experience and is 22 now, normally that would be the cut off for any young Celtic player. I believe he will be allowed to leave but he is good enough to play for any SPFL team!

The rumours:

Beram Kayal - 1 year left on his contract, struggled to stay injury free and even when he has been, he isn't first choice and his form has not been great. Spoke himself about the possibility of moving on in the summer, I believe if we get an offer and it is good enough for us, he will be going.

Derk Boerrigter - failed to make an impact after getting injured in the first game. Was good up until then though. Looks as though he will be off!

Amido Balde - very few chances this season, scored a handful of goals, hasn't lived up to the price tag. Lennon has warned him he needs to do better to stay at the club. Looks like he could go but I think it will be a loan move initially. I think we need a player of his size and he has ability but he doesn't seem to have fitted in with the team and the way we play. However, if he is playing, we need to change the way we play in order to get him into the game. We cannot expect to play the same and have someone of his size do what someone like Stokes or Griffiths does, it just doesn't work!

Teemu Pukki - looks like he will stay. Again hasn't lived up to the height or expectations but I think most people can see that there is a player in there, it's just getting the best out of him that is the problem. Has got better as the season has gone on and it's clear that he needs to adjust his game.

James Forrest - injured a lot this season but showed why he's so highly rated when he has been fit and playing. Been linked with a move to Everton this summer, if the right offer comes in, we won't stop him going!

Virgil Van Dijk - What a player he has been for us this season. He is a total footballer. He's quick, strong, skillful, composed.....he could play just about anywhere on the pitch! As such, players like VVD get lots of attention and a number of big clubs are looking at signing him. Starting price or his signature could be in the region of £8m but I would be hoping for more!

Lustig - only 1 year left on his current contract but I believe we will be opening negotiations with him this summer to extend that. He has been brilliant for us and he's good for the younger players as well, very encouraging.

Izzaguire - only 1 year left on his contract. I'm not convinced we will be in such a rush to renew his contract. We have been looking to strengthen that position anyway so the time might have come that if we have found a replacement, we won't extend his deal. Or we may find a future replacement, so someone to challenge him for his position before taking over from him the following season.
 
So other than replacing any players who leave due to being sold this summer, what areas do we need to strengthen?

Samaras is going and in order to replace him, we need a mobile CF with height and a winger with pace and strength.

Lennon might find a gem at the World Cup but otherwise I think we want to sign a striker like Raul Jimenez from Mexico or Kim Shin Wook from South Korea. Both players are likely to be at the World Cup and that could increase their price which is the only real issue. Top quality, big, strong CFs.
As for a winger, I would probably go with someone like Kasper Kusk. 22 year old Danish winger with 1 year left on his contract. Danish international, 41 appearances this season for club and country; scored 17 goals and 15 assists. Can play on the right (predominantly) or the left or even in the CAM role.

We probably need another CB, whether VVD and/or Moyoukolo leave, we could still do with another CB.
Gustav Valsvik - 20 year old Norwegian international
Jonathan Mensah - 23 year old Ghana international
Alexander Milosevic - 22 year old Swedish international (linked with a number of EPL clubs)
Young-Gwon Kim - 24 year old South Korean international
 
What about Lennon? Does anyone believe he would go to Norwich City? I wonder if this is a bargaining ploy for a long-term deal from Celtic. If he wants to go England, I'd think he could go straight to the Premiership.
 
I don't think Lennon will go to the Championship! He feels his work with Celtic and especially what has been achieved in the Champions League is worth a move to the EPL. And I don't think it would even join a struggling, bottom half of the table club unless it was a team that is normally higher up fighting for Europe or something and they were having a really bad season.
 
Apparently chasing 21 year old, Haitian international Jeff Louis from AS Nancy in France. They were relegated last season I believe and so this season have been playing in Ligue 2. They have 1 game left to play and are currently sitting 4th, could end up 3rd but could end up 5th as well.

Plays as an attacking midfielder or as a winger. He's small but strong and very quick! He's predominantly left footed and likes to take a shot from distance. He's kind of a cross between Commons and Forrest but through in the strength of someone more like Brown.
He has 13 goals and 3 assists in 30 appearances this season, making him Nancy's top scorer.

I'd had a look at this guy before but there was no real footage of him to look at so never thought more of him but he seemed highly rated.

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Patrik Twardzik, Michael Miller, Lewis Kidd, Paddy McNally, Jack Kirwan, Sean McIntosh, Steven Boyd, Aaron Comrie and Connor McLaren will exit Paradise once their contracts expire.

I only really know of the first 4.

Patrik is obviously the brother of Filip Twardzik. Patrik never made it to the first team unlike Filip and his progress always seemed to lack a little behind his twin brother. Not really surprised he is leaving as they clearly didn't feel it was fair to keep him on when he needs to go out and start playing, especially given he is 21/22 now.

Michael Miller seemed to be a good RB/RM player but again, never looked as though he was going to make it and with players like Darnell Fisher and John Herron both more likely to play either of those positions ahead of him, he was always going to struggle to go much further.

Lewis Kidd was another RB/midfielder who seemed to feature quite regularly and I thought a lot was expected of him but it seems he has come up short.

Paddy McNally was out on loan in Northern Ireland last season and to me that always spelled the end of his Celtic career unfortunately.

Wish all of the lads all the best in the future, I'd be surprised if we don't hear of at least a few of them again in the years to come!
 
Not sure how much to read into this but Craig Gordon seems destined to sign for Celtic this week.

Does this mean he replaces Zaluska? Or is he here to replace a departing Fraser Forster?

He hasn't played any competitive football for 2-3 seasons now so surely we can't expect him to come in and replace Forster.....it must just be a 3rd GK but it seems strange as we haven't done that for some time!
 
Craig Gordon close to signing but Deila wants to run the rule over him first and he will have the final decision.

This also brought up the question of what will happen to some of the other backroom team, like goalkeeping coach Stevie Woods. Deila said that they would have to get to know each other and take it from there but saw no reason to bring in someone else just yet.

Another story is that Stomsgodset now fear Deila will try and steal their wonderkid - Martin Odegaard.

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The lad is still only 15 but has already played and scored in the Stromgodset first team for Deila. 5 appearances (1 start) so far this season (started in May), totaling 174 minutes and he has scored 1 and has 1 assist. Looks a class act! I would certainly imagine he'd be in our U20 side to start with.
 
I thought Odegard is headed for Barcalona. I don't know about these wunderkinden. They seem to use us to break in and leave before we ever kid much out of them. Who is the brat that left for Chelsea?

What do you think of Craig Gordon, Wee Od? Very risky. I hope he isn't the only replacement for Forster, who seems set to leave.
 
Odegaard seems to be the real deal. He isn't actually going to Barca, it's just the new manager is saying that's what they are preparing him for, they think he is good enough to go there eventually. He's basically trying to scare us off going for him by saying they know his potential and will hold out for the largest amount of money possible.

Deila will review the youth players already at the club and decide if he sees anything in any of them worthy of promoting to the first team. That's what he did with Odegaard. He saw his potential and just decided to start putting him into the first team, despite him only being 15!

Feruz was the lad that went to Chelsea, he's still doing well down there but it looks as though he's wanted on the continent for a loan spell but could still make it in the Chelsea first team if he has a good loan spell. Slightly different scenario with him though. He was one we took from a young lad, appealed on his behalf for his family not to be thrown out the country (Tommy Burns especially) and then he decided to leave us for next to nothing rather than sign his first professional contract with us.

Gordon has always been a good keeper. My concern is how long he will last. He's been out for a couple of years but he's been training with us, Rangers and Hearts and has obviously proven that he is over his injury problems. Still not the same as actually playing games though, even Zaluska has played more in the past 2 years than Gordon has so it would seem they are fighting it out for No2 while Forster still remains. Will either be promoted to No1....personally I'm not sure I can see that happening but it depends if Gordon is really back to his best or not!

Was interesting to hear that Lawell said there had been no formal interest in VVD so far......but he didn't say anything about Forster! I think the big man will go this summer if the right deal comes in. It's clear he's a wanted man though.
 
There has been surprisingly little transfer chatter even about the bigger clubs, the Fabregas deal notwithstanding. So I think we will see Forster go. Zaloosz is just not No. 1 material. Gordon is an injury risk even if he shows up to the first day in Lennoxtown looking like Gigi Buffon.
 
On another note, does anyone else see the irony that Neil lennon would feel safer as a Catholic in a Muslim country than in Scotland?! :emoticon:36 :emoticon:83
 
Gordon to be offered a pay as you play contract.......

Southampton want VVD..........New Saints boss Ronald Koeman has been aware of VVD for some time due to being in charge of Feyenoord for the past few seasons. He's a big fan of VVD and with Saints CB Lovren wanting to leave, Koeman sees VVD as an ideal replacement.
 
Just seen on Twitter, apparently to be in tomorrow's papers - Spurs want 3 Celtic players......Fraser Forster, Virgil Van Dijk and Adam Matthews with Celtic set to ask for a combined £23.6m....

Now that would be interesting! That's a LOT of money, which means that as soon as we go after other players, clubs are going to set really high prices for their players!

Forster would clearly need replaced, the question is whether Gordon is going to be OK to replace him......
VVD would clearly need replaced but while it would be difficult to find someone the same as him, there are other good young CBs out there we would be able to get!
Adam Matthews, I'm not sure we would need to replace him to be honest. We already have 2 very good RBs in Matthews and Lustig. Plus I think it was clear that Fisher is a talented lad and could at least cover in the league and cups if not in Europe. John Herron also played at RB last season and as he is normally a midfielder, his attacking ability was clear to see, but he held his own at RB as well. Not to mention players like Marcus Fraser who can cover at RB as well.
 
Jeff Louis looks an interesting one. Certainly fits our profile!

Re the spurs stuff, just reposting my reply to you on twitter wee_od to save some time :emoticon:17

£12m apiece (and that's at a bare minimum) for FF and VVD. I value AM at around £6-7m. EPL pay £15m+ for utter dross!
 
In a normal market, I think you'd be right.....but I don't see PL holding out for that much. He'd rather take the money and the security of having that should we need it. In a flash, we could go on a spending spree, we could afford to up the wage structure and get that extra class of player.

If we were in the EPL or even the Championship then you would get that much money every day of the week.....but being in Scotland and in tough economic times for Scottish football, I'm not sure PL will hold out for as much as we all think they are worth!

Louis does look an interesting player.
There are a couple of Mexican strikers I think could be quite good, both young and in the national team but haven't played at the WC yet.
There a number of good, young defenders out there
Wingers I think is where our priority will be this summer. I've not come across too many either......
 
Not so sure on the figures wee_od. PL will simply point to the Wanyama deal as the recent precedent (as well as a host of other EPL deals.)

FF,VVD and AM are all young and, more importantly tied down to long term contracts.

Raising our salary ceiling is an interesting point. And if we're thinking along those lines then now, at the start of a new era, is the time to do it. I'd be happy to see one or two vfm players coming in and claiming two new top wage slots at circa 35-45k pw.

I can't be arsed with the 'squad harmony' line in terms of wages because it doesn't exist anywhere in football and it most certainly doesn't exist at Celtic - where player wages range from the low thousands up to the 25k or so that Brown is pulling in.

35-45k will not get you the very top players but it could make the difference in getting a really good up-and-comer or out of contract player who we usually lose out on because of our current wage ceiling.

 
I suppose we shall just need to wait and see how much we get for any of our players!

The wage increase would be interesting. I agree, it wouldn't get the top players but it might attract more of those that we lose out on to even Championship clubs.
Most of the talk with the appointment of Deila is that we will be looking to reduce the wage budget again, but if we were to get big cash for some key (but replaceable) players then is that something that might change.......why not!
 
I think any talk of a reduced budget is simply mischief making by the usual suspects. Remember that McCoist needs written approval to by a fuckin pie. HAHAHAHA

Ronny may have just left a club with a very low and tight budget, but he left to improve himself, work at a bigger club and more importantly to him - work with a bigger budget.

File under, shite!
 
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