21 Days Until Kick-Off — Where Is Celtic’s Forward Planning?

Celtic are now only 21 days away from the league opener against Dundee, yet the squad still looks woefully underprepared.

Camilo Durán has arrived, but one new signing is nowhere near enough. The greater concern is that almost the entire midfield is being linked with moves away.

Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels, Benjamin Nygren and Paulo Bernardo have all been mentioned in connection with possible exits. That is not one fringe player attracting interest. That is virtually the whole midfield department surrounded by uncertainty just three weeks before competitive football begins.

Yet where is the forward planning?

Celtic have re-signed 32-year-old Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, a player who was already inside the building. He may still have something to offer, but retaining someone already training with the club cannot be presented as evidence of an ambitious recruitment operation.

It is the easiest possible piece of business.

The club should already know which players are likely to leave, who their replacements will be and how quickly those deals can be completed. Instead, Celtic once again appear to be waiting for events to happen before reacting to them.

That is not strategy. It is hesitation.

Martin O’Neill should be working with a settled squad now. New players need time to learn the system, build relationships and be physically ready. They cannot be thrown together once the league has started and expected to instantly perform.

Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay have had months to prepare for this window. The weaknesses were obvious, the possible departures were predictable and the money is available.

Three weeks from kick-off, Celtic should be finalising a strong squad. Instead, supporters are still waiting to discover how much of the existing one will even remain.

That is not forward planning. It is another summer being allowed to drift.