Martin O’Neill declared himself happy with Celtic’s transfer business while Derek McInnes insists he now has the type of dressing room he desires at Rangers. Six of the Hoops’ 10 summer signings arrived in the final 48 hours of the window and McInnes added two deadline day signings to make it 14 new recruits at Ibrox. Dutch midfielder Joel van den Berg signed from PSV Eindhoven and Swiss right-back Jordan Lotomba from Feyenoord joined Celtic just before the UEFA registration deadline on Wednesday night. The club had completed loan deals for Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, Parma midfielder Oliver Sorensen and 18-year-old Chelsea pair Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo.
The Chelsea players and Van den Berg did not make Celtic’s Europa League squad because of limited spaces. “I’m delighted to get players,” O’Neill said. “Genuinely pleased. “The difficulty is that you only have to look at the UEFA list.
Some young lads will be disappointed not being able to make that particular UEFA squad. So there’s only so many places that we could fill. “If we can avoid serious injury to the players here, people not being out for endless lengths of time, then I’m happy with it.” While Celtic’s Premiership rivals had done the bulk of their business ahead of the final week, the champions were still looking to plug obvious gaps such as a back-up to injured left-back Kieran Tierney after going out of the Champions League. When asked what lessons could be learned about the timing, O’Neill said: “How many times are you going to ask me that each week?
We started this in July time. So I’m pleased with the players that we’ve got in. “We’ve got them in and I genuinely want to get on with it now. So, ideally, it would be great to have got players in earlier to get them bedded in.
It doesn’t matter. Happy, really happy to have the players that we have.” When asked if he was disappointed not to land Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, the 74-year-old said: “No, I’m really pleased with what we have now at this minute. So, honestly, not a problem.” As well as the four loan players, Lotomba has only signed until the end of the season. “I sometimes concern myself about loan players coming in and maybe not seeing the club that they’re going to as the club that they really want to play for,” said O’Neill, who will again be without Tierney and Kasper Hogh against St Mirren on Saturday.
“But I’ve also had loans of players who have loved the football club. For instance, Julian Araujo took the club to heart last season and that was great. Honestly, he would have done anything for the club. So, from that viewpoint, you’re never sure.
“Loans are sometimes a bit of a concern, but it depends on the player.” McInnes admitted he “took a huge sigh of relief” when the transfer window closed on Thursday evening. Portland Timbers’ 22-year-old Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy joined on an initial four-year contract with the option of an additional year, in a deal reportedly worth around £9.5m. Algeria winger Badredine Bouanani arrived on a season-long loan from Stuttgart, and both are in the squad for the visit of Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday. “We all took a huge sigh of relief when the window closed yesterday and we get on with the job in hand,” said McInnes, who revealed left-back Tuur Rommens will resume full training in between the two upcoming Celtic games after recovering from a groin strain.
“It feels like I’ve been to war this window, to be honest. It feels like the longest window I’ve ever known. There’s always so much to consider. “At Rangers, I don’t want to work with players who just see what’s next and what’s next after this, always maybe eagerly eyeing up other opportunities.
“I want people who want to be here, who want to hang about the club for a period of time and want to be successful here. “This club can provide so much opportunity and so many good moments for a player, manager and the like. “I just want us to commit to being here and put all our focus on the club. The club is deserving of that.
The players are deserving of each other, to get that tightness and closeness. “I need to say the dressing room, particularly over the last couple of weeks, has been so strong and so together. “It actually feels like a football dressing room. The humour, the togetherness and how we work has felt far more like what I would expect my dressing rooms to look like and behave like.
“That’s important when you come through adversity and stinging results. Equally, we’ve bounced back really well in two tough away games (wins at Falkirk and Aberdeen). “That spirit and togetherness helps you get through difficult times, and you need that at any club, but particularly here. “We are a very young dressing room.
That is exciting and there is a lot of potential, but there are also lots of learnings for these young boys. “It’s our job to help them fulfil that potential in a Rangers shirt, day in and day out. “I just want the players not to waste their minutes or opportunities. “Whether they’re picked or training, don’t see any day as a lazy day.
We’re not going to accept bad practice here. “Every day has to be important. You train with motivation, professionally, and as if you’re trying to get into the team on a Saturday.”
