2021 is the year of mass change for Celtic. They are currently without a manager and soon, they will be replacing their CEO as well.
Neil Lennon is no longer at the club while Peter Lawwell is set to retire in a few months time, being replaced by Dominic McKay. However, new faces at Parkhead won’t stop there.
What’s the word?
According to Football Insider, Celtic are closing in on the appointment of Fergal Harkin as their brand new director of football.
Sources have told the outlet that a deal to bring the Irishman to Parkhead is 90% done.
He has spent 11 years within the Manchester City recruitment team but Celtic have been trying to lure him to Glasgow over the last few months.
This comes with the club making landmark attempts to restructure and modernise their hierarchy.
Nick Hammond is currently head of football operations but he looks set to leave his post with a new director of football role being created.
Harkin is set to be followed through the door by a new chief scout and a plethora of analysts.
Desmond will be buzzing
Even if Celtic are yet to hire a new manager, this will come as major news for supporters and indeed for majority shareholder Dermot Desmond.
He has been desperate to revamp the hierarchy and this would be the first step in doing so.
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Harkin has a brilliant reputation too, one that could help solve one of the biggest underlying issues at the football club right now.
The 44-year-old is currently Man City’s partnerships manager and has been described as a bit of a transfer guru for the work he’s done.
He also has a large role in looking after the young players that walk through the exit door on loan at City.
The department, which he heads up, includes two video analysts, a psychologist, a nutritionist, a physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning coach.
He has helped develop talents like City first-teamer Oleksandr Zinchenko while he’s also guided both Olivier Ntcham and Patrick Roberts, two players who have featured in the famous green and white over recent years.
With this in mind, he could help stem the tide in terms of young players leaving Parkhead. Cameron Harper has already joined New York Red Bulls while Armstrong Oko-Flex and Karamoko Dembele are out of contract at the end of the season.
With a bit of extra care and love from a figure like Harkin, younger players may see a more vibrant future for themselves in Glasgow. This has the potential to be a great appointment from Desmond.