Martin O'Neill expressed satisfaction with the recent activity in Celtic's transfer market, and Derek McInnes asserted that he now possesses the kind of dressing‑room culture he has long wanted at Rangers. Celtic completed six of their ten summer signings in the final two days before the transfer window shut, and McInnes added two more deadline‑day arrivals, bringing the total number of newcomers at Ibrox to fourteen. The Dutch midfielder Joel van den Berg arrived from PSV Eindhoven, while Swiss full‑back Jordan Lotomba made the switch from Feyenoord just before the UEFA registration deadline on Wednesday night.
In addition, Celtic secured loan deals for Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, Parma midfielder Oliver Sorensen, and the 18‑year‑old Chelsea duo Shim Mheuka and Landon Emenalo. Because UEFA limits the number of players that can be registered for the Europa League, the Chelsea loanees and van den Berg were left out of Celtic's European squad.
"I'm delighted to get players," O'Neill said. "Genuinely pleased. The difficulty is that you only have to look at the UEFA list.
Some young lads will be disappointed not being able to make that particular UEFA squad. So there's only so many places that we could fill. If we can avoid serious injury to the players here, people not being out for endless lengths of time, then I'm happy with it." While Celtic's domestic rivals had largely finished their business earlier in the week, the Scottish champions were still seeking to fill obvious gaps, such as a backup for the injured left‑back Kieran Tierney after the club's exit from the Champions League.
When asked what lessons could be learned from the timing of the deals, O'Neill replied, "How many times are you going to ask me that each week? We started this in July time. So I'm pleased with the players that we've got in. We've got them in and I genuinely want to get on with it now.
Ideally, it would be great to have got players in earlier to get them bedded in. It doesn't matter.
Happy, really happy to have the players that we have." On the subject of missing out on Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis, the 74‑year‑old manager said, "No, I'm really pleased with what we have now at this minute. So, honestly, 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 Celtic as their long‑term home. "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 will again be without Tierney and Kasper Hogh for the upcoming match against St Mirren. He added, "But I've also had loans of players who have loved the football club.
For instance, Julian Araujo took the club to heart last season and that was great. Honestly, he would have done anything for the club.
So, from that viewpoint, you're never sure. Loans are sometimes a bit of a concern, but it depends on the player." Turning to Rangers, McInnes confessed he "took a huge sigh of relief" when the transfer window finally closed on Thursday night. The Scottish side have been busy as well, securing a four‑year deal (with an optional fifth year) for 22‑year‑old Venezuelan striker Kevin Kelsy from the Portland Timbers, a move reportedly worth around £9.5 million.
In addition, Algerian winger Badredine Bouanani arrived on a season‑long loan from Stuttgart, and both newcomers are expected to be available 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 will return to full training between the two forthcoming fixtures against Celtic after recovering from a groin strain. He described the window as feeling "like I've been to war" and "the longest window I've ever known," emphasizing the sheer volume of decisions that had to be weighed.
"At Rangers, I don't want to work with players who just see what's next and what's next after this, always maybe eagerly eyeing up other opportunities. I want people who want to be here, who want to hang about the club for a period of time and want to be successful here. This club can provide so much opportunity and so many good moments for a player, manager and the like. I just want us to commit to being here and put all our focus on the club.
The club is deserving of that. The players are deserving of each other, to get that tightness and closeness." McInnes praised the recent atmosphere in the Rangers dressing‑room, noting that over the past couple of weeks it has been "so strong and so together." He said the camaraderie, humour and work ethic resemble exactly what he expects from a professional football environment. "That spirit and togetherness helps you get through difficult times, and you need that at any club, but particularly here." He also highlighted the team's resilience, pointing to recent away victories at Falkirk and Aberdeen as evidence that the squad can bounce back from adversity.
"We are a very young dressing room. That is exciting and there is a lot of potential, but there are also lots of learnings for these young boys. 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, don't see any day as a lazy day.
We're not going to accept bad practice here. Every day has to be important.
You train with motivation, professionally, and as if you're trying to get into the team on a Saturday." In summary, both clubs appear content with the outcomes of a hectic transfer period. O'Neill is pleased that Celtic have added depth despite UEFA registration constraints, while McInnes feels the Rangers squad now possesses the unity and ambition required to compete at the highest level in Scotland. The next fixtures will test how quickly the new signings can integrate and whether the positive atmosphere described by both managers translates into consistent performances on the pitch.