NafisaCeltic’s humiliating Champions League exit against LASK has left Martin O’Neill facing a major problem in the final weeks of the transfer window.
The Hoops travelled to Austria with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg and appeared to be on course for a comfortable progression.
Callum McGregor then made the situation even better by opening the scoring in the second leg, putting Celtic four goals ahead on aggregate.
What followed, however, was an extraordinary collapse.
LASK scored five unanswered goals to win 5-1 on the night and send Celtic crashing out of the Champions League with a 5-4 aggregate victory.
The immediate disappointment is obvious, but O’Neill has now confirmed another piece of bad news that could have a major impact on Celtic’s plans before the transfer window closes.
The manager has admitted that losing Champions League football could make it significantly harder for Celtic to attract the kind of marquee signing they may have been hoping to land.
O’Neill admits Champions League exit changes Celtic’s transfer situation
Celtic still need reinforcements.
The squad has obvious gaps following the departures of Kasper Schmeichel and Marcelo Saracchi, while the club have also failed to adequately replace Arne Engels.
The Hoops had hoped to strengthen further before the window closes, and O’Neill had made it clear that recruitment would continue regardless of the outcome against LASK.
But the Champions League exit changes the equation.
Speaking to BBC Sport Scotland, O’Neill admitted Celtic are still nowhere near the finished article.
“I think that we know that we are a million miles from the finished article. That’s absolutely true.
“I think we thought that anyway, regardless.”
That admission is worrying enough for supporters, but it was his comments about attracting players that could prove even more significant.
Asked whether failing to qualify for the Champions League could affect Celtic’s ability to bring in quality players before the Scottish transfer deadline, O’Neill admitted that European football at the highest level could have been a crucial selling point.
“I don’t know.
“I think I said last week that if you could qualify for the Champions League, I think there would be players that would want to come on that very basis.
“That’s not going to be the case, but we’ll see.”
Those words effectively confirm the problem facing Celtic.
The club can still offer substantial wages and a major role, but Champions League football is no longer available as part of the sales pitch.
And for certain high-profile targets, that could make all the difference.
Celtic’s marquee signing plans could now be in danger
Celtic supporters will understandably be wondering what this means for the remainder of the transfer window.
The club have already shown a willingness to bring in ambitious additions, with Kasper Høgh among the attacking recruits brought in during the summer.
But attracting another established or high-profile name could prove considerably more difficult without Champions League football on offer.
A player considering Celtic now has to weigh up Europa League football instead of the chance to face Europe’s biggest clubs in the Champions League.
That does not mean Celtic cannot sign quality players.
Far from it.
But O’Neill’s comments suggest that the very biggest targets could now require considerably more convincing.
And that is particularly frustrating given that Celtic had been just 90 minutes away from securing their place in the next stage before the extraordinary collapse in Austria.
LASK exposed Celtic’s need for reinforcements
The defeat itself also highlighted why Celtic need more quality and depth.
The squad looked increasingly stretched as LASK piled on the pressure, and once the momentum shifted, O’Neill’s players struggled to regain control.
Celtic had the opportunity to kill the tie but instead allowed the Austrian side to remain alive.
The result has now created a situation where the club must strengthen while simultaneously having a less attractive European proposition for potential targets.
That is the worst possible combination.
O’Neill has already admitted there is “a lot of work to do” with the squad, while his “million miles from the finished article” assessment shows just how much improvement he believes is required.
Celtic still have time to respond
The transfer window does not close until September 3 in Scotland, meaning Celtic still have an opportunity to address their weaknesses.
The question is whether they can find players willing to join without the Champions League incentive.
The club’s financial strength means they are not suddenly incapable of making major signings, but money alone does not guarantee that a marquee target will choose Celtic.
For O’Neill, the priority now has to be convincing the right players that Celtic’s project remains worth joining.
The Europa League offers European football, while domestic success and the size of the club remain major attractions.
But the Champions League was undoubtedly another weapon Celtic could use in negotiations.
That weapon has now disappeared.
And after throwing away a three-goal advantage against LASK, Celtic have been left with a painful double blow: not only have they lost their route into Europe’s elite competition, they may also have made their remaining transfer business considerably more difficult.
O’Neill has admitted the problem himself.
Now Celtic have to find a solution before the window slams shut.
Nafisa
