Martin O'Neill expressed satisfaction with the way Celtic have conducted their transfer business this summer, while Rangers manager Derek McInnes insisted that he now possesses the kind of dressing‑room environment he has long desired at Ibrox. Both clubs have been active in the final days of the transfer window, with Celtic completing six of their ten signings in the last 48 hours and Rangers adding two more deadline‑day arrivals to bring their total new faces to fourteen. Celtic’s late‑stage activity saw Dutch midfielder Joel van den Berg arrive from PSV Eindhoven and Swiss right‑back Jordan Lotomba depart Feyenoord to join the Hoops just before the UEFA registration deadline on Wednesday night. In addition, the club secured loan deals for Wolves goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, Parma midfielder Oliver Sorensen, and two 18‑year‑old prospects from Chelsea – 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 continental 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 completed their business earlier, the champions still needed to address obvious gaps, such as finding a backup for the injured left‑back Kieran Tierney after the team’s Champions League exit.
When asked about the timing of the signings, 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." He was also asked whether he regretted missing out on Torino midfielder Gvidas Gineitis. The 74‑year‑old manager answered, "No, I’m really pleased with what we have now at this minute. So, honestly, not a problem." Lotomba, like the other loan arrivals, has signed only until the end of the season. O'Neill admitted that loan deals can be a double‑edged sword: "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.
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 breathed a sigh of relief when the transfer window finally shut on Thursday evening. The Scottish side have been busy as well, adding 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 around £9.5 million. In addition, Algerian winger Badredine Bouanani arrived on a season‑long loan from Stuttgart.
Both newcomers are expected to feature in 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, noting that left‑back Tuur Rommens will resume full training between the two forthcoming Celtic fixtures after recovering from a groin strain. He likened the experience of this window to a battle: "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." McInnes stressed his philosophy regarding player attitude: "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." He went on to praise the current atmosphere in the Rangers dressing room, describing it as "the kind of football dressing room you expect – humour, togetherness, and a work ethic that mirrors my own standards." He believes this unity is vital when the team faces adversity and tough results. "It actually feels like a football dressing room. The humour, the togetherness and how we work has felt far more like what I would expect my dressing rooms to look like and behave like.
That's important when you come through adversity and stinging results. Equally, we've bounced back really well in two tough away games (wins at Falkirk and Aberdeen)." The manager highlighted the importance of collective spirit: "That spirit and togetherness helps you get through difficult times, and you need that at any club, but particularly here. 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 O'Neill and McInnes appear content with the squads they have assembled, acknowledging the constraints of UEFA registration limits and the challenges of integrating loan players, while also emphasizing the need for commitment, unity, and a strong work ethic as they head into the new season.