Celtic may well be without a manager but that hasn’t stopped the transfer merry-go-round from rolling into Parkhead.
Roy Keane has been linked with the vacant manager’s job, but he is being rivalled by the likes of Lucien Favre and Thierry Henry.
On the chalkboard
One of the first things on the to-do list of any manager will be to improve the defence. Celtic’s backline has been shocking this season with individual errors plaguing their campaign.
They have shipped 14 more goals in the SPFL than Rangers and their issues in that position reared their ugly head again in the Old Firm derby.
This time there was a fresh culprit; Jonjoe Kenny. The Everton loanee was incredibly abject during that game and was the sole reason the score finished 1-1, rather than a Hoops win.
Kenny’s mind-boggling back pass led to the corner that Alfredo Morelos scored from, and the right-back didn’t particularly cover himself in much glory with his marking from that set-piece either.
The youngster has been inconsistent since being signed as Jeremie Frimpong’s replacement but fortunately, he’s only penned temporary terms in Scotland.
Keeping his departure in mind, the Bhoys will need some form of replacement.
The solution
Coincidentally, the answer to Celtic’s woes could also lie at Everton. Although Kenny is set to head back to Goodison Park, The Sun have suggested that Seamus Coleman could walk through the door and come to the Bhoys.
Discussing the potential signings that Keane may make if he becomes the new manager at Parkhead, they stated the defender could be tempted to reunite a partnership the pair developed in the Republic of Ireland set-up.
Coleman currently has a year left on his £70k-per-week deal at Everton so could move to Celtic on the cheap.
If they do sign him, not only will they be gaining an experienced international with 58 caps to his name, but they’ll be signing a leader and someone that’s perfect for their style of play.
Speaking about Coleman this season, Carlo Ancelotti waxed lyrical about his qualities, suggesting he was up there with some of the finest defensive captains we’ve ever seen: “I’ve had a lot of captains in my career but how Seamus expresses his love for the shirt is really top,” he began.
“He is a great captain, honestly. I don’t want to forget anyone [I have worked with] but he is up there as a captain with [Paolo] Maldini, John Terry and Sergio Ramos,” Ancelotti concluded.
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Appraisals don’t come much better than that but importantly he’d be an upgrade on Kenny.
Coleman is more vocal on the pitch and crucially, very rarely has a lapse in concentration, something that let Kenny down during his Old Firm induction.
The 32-year-old has won the same number of tackles per game this season (1.6) and has proven to be a prolific goal scorer and creator for someone in his position.
He helped to define the role of a modern-day full-back, registering 26 goals and 29 assists during his stay in Merseyside so far.
The Irishman has very often been involved in the goals, something Kenny is unfortunate enough not to bolster. He only has two senior strikes to his name at club level.
Coleman may be in the twilight of his career but judging by how this season has gone, they could do with some more leadership and experience.