Martin O'Neill expressed satisfaction with the recent activity in Celtic’s transfer market, and Derek McInnes insisted that the composition of the Rangers dressing‑room now matches the environment he has long envisioned. Celtic completed six of their ten summer signings in the final two days before the window shut, and McInnes added two more deadline‑day arrivals, bringing the total number of new faces at Ibrox to fourteen. Among the late arrivals for the Hoops, Dutch midfielder Joel van den Berg arrived from PSV Eindhoven and Swiss right‑back Jordan Lotomba made the switch from Feyenoord just before UEFA’s registration deadline on Wednesday night.
Celtic also secured loan deals for Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, Parma midfielder Oliver Sorensen and two 18‑year‑old Chelsea prospects, Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo. Because of the limited slots available for the Europa League squad, the Chelsea loanees and van den Berg were omitted from that particular list.
"I’m delighted to have added players," O'Neill said. "I’m genuinely pleased.
The only difficulty is that you have to look at the UEFA list – some of the younger lads will be disappointed not to make that specific squad because there are only so many places. If we can keep our squad injury‑free and avoid long‑term absences, I’ll be happy with what we have." While Celtic’s league rivals had largely finished their business before the final week, the champions were still looking to plug obvious gaps, such as finding a backup for the injured left‑back Kieran Tierney after their exit from the Champions League. When pressed about the timing of the deals, O'Neill replied, "How many times will you ask me that each week? We started this back in July, so I’m happy with the players we have now.
Ideally we would have secured them earlier to give them time to settle, but it doesn’t matter – I’m really happy with the squad we’ve assembled." He was also asked whether he regretted missing out on Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis. The 74‑year‑old manager shrugged it off: "No, I’m completely satisfied with the options we have at the moment. It’s not a problem." Lotomba’s contract runs only until the end of the season, and O'Neill admitted he sometimes worries about loan players who may not view the club as their long‑term destination. "I sometimes concern myself about loan players coming in and maybe not seeing the club that they're going to as the club that they really want to play for," he said, noting that he has also seen loanees who embraced Celtic wholeheartedly – citing Julian Araujo’s commitment last season as a prime example.
"Loans are sometimes a bit of a concern, but it depends on the player." Switching focus to Rangers, McInnes confessed he let out a "huge sigh of relief" when the transfer window finally closed on Thursday evening. The club’s activity included the arrival of 22‑year‑old Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy from the Portland Timbers on a four‑year deal with an optional fifth year, a transfer reported to be worth roughly £9.5 million. In addition, Algerian winger Badredine Bouanani joined on a season‑long loan from Stuttgart, and both newcomers were named in the squad for the upcoming Scottish Premiership clash with Motherwell. "We all took a huge sigh of relief when the window closed yesterday and we get on with the job in hand," McInnes said, adding that left‑back Tuur Rommens would resume full training between the two forthcoming fixtures against Celtic after recovering from a groin strain.
"It feels like I’ve been to war this window, to be honest. It feels like the longest window I’ve ever known – there’s always so much to consider." He emphasized his philosophy regarding player attitude: "At Rangers I don’t want to work with players who are always looking over their shoulder, always eyeing the next move. I want people who want to be here, who want to stay with the club for a while and succeed together.
This club can offer a lot of opportunity and great moments for players, managers and everyone involved. I just want us to commit to being here and put all our focus on the club. The club deserves that, the players deserve each other, and that closeness creates a strong team spirit." McInnes praised the recent atmosphere in the dressing‑room, describing it as "exactly what I would expect my dressing rooms to look like and behave like" – a blend of humour, togetherness and a professional work ethic. He believes that such cohesion is vital when a team faces adversity and poor results.
"We have bounced back well in two tough away games – wins at Falkirk and Aberdeen – and that spirit and togetherness helps you get through difficult times. It’s essential at any club, but especially here." He also highlighted the youth of the Rangers squad, calling it "very young and exciting with a lot of potential," while acknowledging that there are many lessons for the younger players to learn. "It’s our job to help them fulfil that potential in a Rangers shirt, day in and day out. I just want the players not to waste their minutes or opportunities.
Whether they’re picked or training, no day should be a lazy day. We will not accept bad practice here. Every day has to be important.
Train with motivation, professionally, as if you’re trying to earn a place in the team on Saturday." In summary, O'Neill’s contentment with Celtic’s late‑season signings and McInnes’s confidence that Rangers now possess the type of squad culture he has long desired illustrate two different yet optimistic narratives as both clubs look ahead to the challenges of the upcoming season.