Martin O'Neill has delivered a robust defence of Celtic's January transfer activities while making a heartfelt plea for reconciliation between the club's board and its increasingly frustrated fanbase.
Standing Firm on Key Assets
The 73-year-old manager specifically commended the club's hierarchy for their decisive action in rejecting a substantial deadline-day offer from Nottingham Forest for midfielder Arne Engels. The bid, reportedly worth £25 million, would have matched Celtic's record sale but was turned down late in the window.
'No, the board turned it down,' O'Neill stated. 'Obviously, it arrived very, very late in the day. Considering the amounts of money involved, which would be very, very big up here, that was remarkable.'
Squad Composition and Loan Arrivals
Despite Celtic not spending any transfer fees during the January window, O'Neill expressed satisfaction with the overall squad. The club secured five new players through loan deals, adding Julian Araujo, Tomas Cvancara, Junior Adamu, Joel Mvuka, and Benjamin Arthur to their ranks.
'January is a hard window,' O'Neill acknowledged, referencing a failed move for Frosinone's Fares Ghedjemis. 'Overall, I'm happy. It's nice to get a few people in, in different positions. I think they can help.'
Addressing Player Contentment and Future Targets
O'Neill dismissed concerns that Engels might become unsettled following the rejected bid, noting the player's apparent contentment in Glasgow. 'I think Arne didn't kick up a fuss about it,' he said. 'His agent was happy enough with the situation. He wants to see what the season will bring.'
The manager also confirmed Celtic's interest in free agent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, with discussions already underway. The former Arsenal, Liverpool, and England midfielder has been training with his first club as he seeks a new team.
'I do, I genuinely do like the player, yes,' O'Neill said of Oxlade-Chamberlain. 'I would be very interested in doing it. He knows about the football club, he's a big friend of Joe Hart's. It's something that would be interesting.'
A Call for Unity Amid Tensions
With fan protests looming and a six-point gap to leaders Hearts in the title race, O'Neill emphasised the need for harmony. Celtic face Aberdeen at Pittodrie tonight before a Scottish Cup clash with Dundee this weekend.
'I'm hoping that there'll be some sort of reconciliation between everyone,' O'Neill urged. 'I think that is absolutely necessary at the football club. For us to go forward now, to get ourselves going... we can do with a reconciliation, no question about that.'
He added, 'I'm up here to try and win a couple of football matches. If there's a bit of shenanigans going on in the background, I can't do anything about that at this minute.'
O'Neill concluded with a characteristically wry remark about his potential role in peacekeeping efforts, stating he might 'try and join the Peace Corps sometime and try and work it out from there.'
