Celtic’s pursuit of Eddie Howe is finally reaching a conclusion, according to fresh reports.
It has been nearly three months since Neil Lennon left the Hoops behind but at long last, it looks like the top brass at Parkhead have found a resolution.
With that in mind, the Bhoys can finally begin planning for next season.
What’s the word?
Celtic’s transfer plans have been in disarray because of the manager situation, something that’s hardly ideal considering some of their top players have been linked with the exit door.
However, in terms of arrivals, Howe has already been dealt a blow before he’s even walked through the door.
Earlier this year it was reported that Celtic were in the hunt to sign ADO Den Haag right-back Milan van Ewijk.
Unfortunately, the Bhoys are to lose out on the defender with new claims stipulating he’ll be moving elsewhere.
Dutch outlet AD claim that fellow Eredivisie side Heerenveen have won the race to sign him.
A deal will come cheap too with a bid of €600,000 being accepted (£516,000).
Managerial mess
This whole situation is likely to leave Celtic’s incoming chief executive officer, Dominic McKay, absolutely fuming.
He is yet to formally take up that position but he has already begun his work behind the scenes at Parkhead.
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It’s unlikely he will have been left too impressed by his opening few weeks in Glasgow, especially with transfer targets now starting to pass them by.
If Celtic already had a new manager in place they’d be able to be active in the transfer window, pondering options to bolster the squad.
Unfortunately, until a new boss has walked through the door, they won’t be able to sanction any transfers.
Stephen Welsh signed a new contract without Howe or a new manager present but signing a completely new player is a whole different ball game.
Van Ewijk would have been a superb acquisition too.
A touch-tackling defender, he’d have been an undoubted upgrade on Jonjoe Kenny at right-back.
The Everton loanee has been a liability from a defensive point of view and has been at fault for countless goals in Celtic’s matches with Rangers in recent months.
Van Ewijk, on the other hand, is mightily consistent in the defensive third.
Throughout the current campaign the 21-year-old has won 109 tackles at an incredible rate of 3.4 per game. That makes him the most prolific tackler in the entire Dutch top-flight with ten more successful challenges than anybody else.
For context, the highest number of tackles by a Celtic player this season is Ryan Christie with 54. The Bhoys do a lot less defending due to their league position but that is quite an alarming statistic.
The young Dutch full-back would have offered plenty to Paradise if the Hoops could have secured a move. They cannot afford to miss out on more players like this; a new manager must arrive as soon as possible.