Martin O’Neill, back for a second interim stint at Celtic, has demonstrated that this squad can still grind out results, despite being thrown into turmoil during Wilfried Nancy’s disastrous 33-day spell.
O’Neill’s upturn in form has only thrown Nancy’s struggles into even sharper relief, with the French coach largely responsible for his rapid downfall after introducing a system that clearly failed to suit the personnel at his disposal.
An exit felt almost unavoidable from the outset, although the former Columbus Crew boss can reasonably feel aggrieved in one respect, with his players wasting a host of clear-cut opportunities across a run of matches.
In the defeat at Dundee United, for example, the Hoops registered six ‘big chances’ in that 2-1 loss, according to Sofascore, with Johnny Kenny and Daizen Maeda both squandering golden openings in the first half.
Perhaps the collapse would have arrived regardless, but the absence of a reliable, fit centre-forward certainly didn’t help Nancy find his footing. Celtic cannot afford to repeat that scenario under O’Neill.
Latest on Celtic’s striker search:
It was a year ago that Kyogo Furuhashi left for Rennes in pursuit of a bigger role for his national side, though he later moved on to Birmingham City just six months later after failing to score in France.
The Japanese forward has yet to find the net in the league for the Blues either, sparking speculation over a Parkhead return this month, although the Championship outfit are believed to be reluctant to let him go.
With the 30-year-old seemingly set to remain where he is, a potential move for Hibernian’s Kieron Bowie has been floated, while West Ham United striker Callum Wilson also remains under consideration.
Casting the net wider, NK Celje frontman Franko Kovacevic has attracted interest, as has Chelsea’s David Datro Fofana, who is currently on loan in Turkey.
The most high-profile name to surface recently is Leeds United’s Joel Piroe, with the Netherlands-born Suriname international linked with a loan switch to Glasgow after slipping down the pecking order at Elland Road.
Despite not starting a Premier League match since late August, the indication is that Piroe is keen to stay put and battle for his place under Daniel Farke.
That stance could represent a setback for O’Neill and his staff, though Celtic may already have a striker of a similar mould within their ranks.
Celtic already have another Piroe at Parkhead:
There would be clear logic in pursuing a player like Piroe, with the 26-year-old having delivered consistently in England’s second tier in recent seasons, scoring 34 Championship goals across the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns.
The former PSV Eindhoven attacker had also impressed at that level with Swansea City, netting 46 goals in 96 appearances in South Wales before making the move to Yorkshire.
He is regarded as the “best finisher” Farke has worked with, yet despite that reputation, he has struggled for opportunities this season, likely due to concerns surrounding his pace and physicality.
A smooth left-footer who lacks the explosive speed to spearhead an attack on his own, Piroe bears a striking resemblance to Celtic’s summer signing, Kelechi Iheanacho.
Snapped up on a free transfer by Brendan Rodgers in September following Adam Idah’s departure, the Nigerian has shown only glimpses of his talent so far, with injuries curtailing his impact in Glasgow.
Still, when fit and available, the “outstanding” striker — as described by Aiden McGeady — has impressed, scoring three goals in ten appearances across all competitions, including two in the Europa League.
Much like Piroe, there is a relaxed, almost languid quality to his game, but when presented with a clear sight of goal, the 29-year-old is usually clinical.
That similarity to the Leeds forward was evident during his final full Championship season at Leicester City in 2023/24, where Piroe was identified as a stylistic and statistical match among players in his position, according to FBref.
Iheanacho ranked in the top 1% of forwards that season for pass completion per 90 minutes and in the top 7% for shot-creating actions, underlining his ability to drop deep and knit play together.
Piroe followed closely behind, placing in the top 10% and top 12% for those same metrics, respectively.
With Celtic already possessing a comparable profile and Iheanacho now back in full training, there appears little urgency to pursue Piroe, with a different, more dynamic striker profile seemingly the greater priority.