This summer will be all change for Celtic. The Glaswegian side no longer have a manager after Neil Lennon chose to resign from his post.
The Northern Irishman has left Parkhead behind but he won’t be the only one come the summer. Peter Lawwell is set to retire with Dominic McKay replacing him in the Hoops’ hierarchy.
With a new manager required and the club also on the hunt for a director of football, the whole make-up of Celtic could be on the verge of changing.
But who will the new manager be? Well, according to Football Insider, Mick McCarthy is on the Bhoys’ shortlist.
McCarthy has only just returned to management in the UK with Cardiff but his contract is short and expires in the summer. Thus, Celtic view him as a cost-effective way of replacing Lennon.
If the Englishman does indeed arrive at Parkhead, how could his starting XI look?
The manager could have to deal with a mass exodus in the summer with The Athletic predicting that as many as 12 players could walk through the exit door.
With contract expirations and links to clubs elsewhere, it might not be the easiest of summers for McCarthy if he took the job.
This is the XI that could be used: Barkas, Bitton, Ajer, Welsh, Ralston, Turnbull, Soro, McGregor, Taylor, Edouard, Ajeti.
The first thing to note in our side is a change of formation, one that sees the Hoops operate with a three-man defence and two-prong attack.
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That’s the style of play that McCarthy has implement with Cardiff and it’s so far worked to devastating effect. The Bluebirds are unbeaten under his stewardship since he took charge at the back end of January.
One would assume that he’d operate in a similar manner at Celtic, which could mean a number of things for various different players.
McCarthy has favoured more defensive wing-backs which means, unlike our predicted XI with Roberto Martinez, Anthony Ralston is selected at right-wing back over Ryan Christie.
He is axed entirely from the XI with the 62-year-old favouring a different brand of football. We’re tipping Kristoffer Ajer and Odsonne Edouard to stay initially so they get in the side, where they are partnered alongside by lesser-seen names.
Albian Ajeti - scorer of just one goal since September partners Edouard - while Ajer sits next to Stephen Welsh and Nir Bitton in the backline.
The most notable absentee in midfield, meanwhile, is Scott Brown. His contract will expire in the summer and he is yet to sign a new one. It remains to be seen whether that would change under McCarthy but we don't think it will.