Another transfer window is done and dusted in Scotland and the squads are now settled to do their business in the remaining months of the season.For Celtic, the January transfer window is more important than for most clubs. The Hoops play some of their most important games early in the summer, giving recruits in the post/pre-season little scope to bed in and get up to speed.Most of Brendan Rodgers' planning for those European qualifiers will have come in last month's window, and the Celtic Park boss recently admitted he hadn't quite done the business he'd wanted.Quoted by The Sunday Post recently, he said:
"It won’t be as I want it, I don’t think, by the end of the window. If we don’t get the players that I would want through then not being available, then OK. I’m happy with the players in the squad that we have. I’ll just have to wait until the summer."
Still, you'd argue that the window has been a success for the Bhoys due to some key reasons.
Here are THREE such reasons why Celtic fans should be happy with the way the window went...
Core squad intact
Despite significant speculation linking the likes of Moussa Dembele and Craig Gordon to Chelsea, as reported by The Telegraph and The Daily Mail, Celtic have retained their key talents for the rest of the season and, you'd imagine, well into the summer.
Dembele delighted fans on deadline day by posting the Wolf Of Wall Street 'I'm not leaving' meme on Twitter, re-affirming his commitment to the club.
His popularity with supporters highlights how important he has been to the Hoops this season. Goals against Rangers and Manchester City are high on the list of unforgettable moments for fans, and neutrals alike, and his 20-goal contribution has been a massive part of Brendan Rodgers' success so far.
In the face of Premier League interest, Rodgers has managed to keep the core of his squad together for the battle ahead. With the way the season has gone, Celtic fans are excited about a possible treble and even an unbeaten domestic season, and retaining the best players at the club will help that quest massively.
Signing of a physical midfielder
One priority for Celtic supporters heading into the window was signing a combative and physical defensive midfielder and in Eboue Kouassi, they may have found their man.
The Ivorian arrives relatively unknown to most football followers in Europe but fans are hoping he has a big future ahead of him. With Europa League experience with Krasnodar this season already, he will be hoping to make the next step into the Champions League next term.
Celtic's midfield is strong enough for domestic football but there have been question marks around the suitability of Nir Bitton and Callum McGregor when it comes to Europe.
At just 19, he may be a raw talent but under the guidance of Rodgers and the coaching staff at Lennoxtown, he could be the missing ingredient in that midfield blend.
Allowing young talent to flourish on loan
Brendan Rodgers has sent eight young Celtic players out on loan in January in moves that should significantly aid their development. Some aren't close to the first-team, like Theo Archibald or Aidan McIlduff who continue to learn the game in the Development Squad, but the likes of Eoghan O'Connell and Ryan Christie badly need game time so they don't stagnate and can challenge for places on their return.
Christie, in particular, has the platform to impress in a talented Aberdeen side and Kristoffer Ajer will get vital experience playing as a centre-back at Kilmarnock with Rodgers seeing that as his position going forward.
These young players will, theoretically, return to Celtic in better shape and as better players, too, which can only aid the Bhoys. Rodgers hasn't been afraid to give fringe players a chance, so if they work hard and impress, who's to say they won't be featuring in the first-team next season?