Liverpool s striker Mohamed Salah L and midfielder Harvey Elliot R take part in a training session held at Saint-Denis Stadium, in Paris, France, 27 May 2022. Liverpool FC will face Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final soccer match on 28 May. Eve of the UEFA Champions League final soccer match ACHTUNG: NUR REDAKTIONELLE NUTZUNG PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJUANJOxMARTINxes-ESx GRAF1331 0160060730st
Celtic have signed Colombian striker Camilo Duran for £6 million, a move that carries striking parallels to Martin O’Neill’s first stint in charge of the club.
Exactly 26 years ago, Chris Sutton walked through the doors at Celtic Park as O’Neill’s first signing, also for £6 million, beginning a hugely successful era.
Duran arrives with genuine European pedigree, having impressed during his time at Qarabag, where he scored five goals in the Champions League last season.
Sutton, who watched Duran up close when the striker scored against Newcastle in the Champions League, described him as quick, clever in his movement, and possessing a sharp eye for goal.
However, Sutton was clear that one signing alone will not be enough to satisfy supporters still stinging from last season’s humiliating Champions League exit to Kairat Almaty.
Celtic must use this signing as a springboard rather than a statement, with a lucrative £40 million Champions League play-off approaching in just 38 days.
The position Duran occupies becomes even more fascinating when the future of Daizen Maeda is considered, with O’Neill having described the Japanese forward as “Larsson-esque” towards the end of last season.
Sutton warned that if Maeda departs, Celtic would face a significant void at the top end of the pitch that Duran alone could not fill.
The club is also weighing up a return for Kelechi Iheanacho, whose match-winning cameos from the bench were credited as crucial to Celtic winning the league title, despite persistent fitness concerns.
Callum Osmand, who scored an iconic goal on the final day against Hearts, remains an intriguing prospect, though Sutton cautioned that patience is essential with any young player stepping up.
O’Neill has also been considering the futures of players like Johnny Kenny and Shin Yamada, with pre-season offering a clean slate for those hoping to force their way into contention.
Sutton drew comparisons to O’Neill’s original tenure, noting that players like Stiliyan Petrov and Jackie McNamara were once considered surplus to requirements before becoming club legends.
The football market has shifted dramatically since 2000, with Sutton acknowledging that the days of Celtic signing established Premier League players for £6 million are firmly in the past.
Now the model is to buy players with potential who might develop into £20 million assets, a reality that carries inherent risk but also genuine upside when the recruitment is right.
Dermot Desmond, Michael Nicholson, and Brian Wilson were spotted in the stands in Dublin on Tuesday night, a sign that the board is paying close attention to O’Neill’s plans for the squad.
Sutton expressed confidence that O’Neill would have demanded clear assurances over transfer budgets before agreeing to his new contract, adding that he would be “absolutely shocked” if the manager had not outlined exactly what the squad needed.
Celtic fans remember the club taking Bayern Munich all the way in the Champions League knockout stage, and many are frustrated that the squad was allowed to regress from that level.
Flag Day is only three weeks away and the pressure to strengthen further is growing with every passing day of pre-season.
Duran may be an encouraging first piece of the puzzle, but as Sutton put it, there is still so much work to be done before Celtic are genuinely ready to compete on the biggest stage again.
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