Martin O'Neill makes damning Celtic admission amid €13m problem
Martin O'Neill has admitted that Camilo Duran has supplanted record signing Kasper Hogh as Celtic's main centre-forward.
There was plenty of excitement around the eight-cap Denmark international's long-awaited arrival this summer, six months after the Parkhead club had initially wanted to sign him.
In January, Celtic battled Norwich City for Hogh's signature, but neither club ultimately managed to get their hands on him in that window. The 25-year-old was in the midst of a fairytale Champions League run with his team Bodo/Glimt and didn't want to jump ship.
Hogh bagged goals against the likes of Man City, Atletico Madrid and Inter. Domestically, he notched 17 goals in 28 Eliteserien matches in 2025, followed by seven in 12 in the early stages of 2026.
Understandably, when Celtic shelled out €13 million (plus future bonuses) to sign Hogh this summer, he was expected to hit the ground running in Glasgow. Initially, it looked as though he would.
O'Neill responds to Hogh concerns
The striker scored a hat-trick against Kilmarnock in his second game for the Hoops in early August, which should have been the ideal springboard for a prolific debut season at Celtic. It was anything but.
Hogh has not scored a single goal since. He has gone 15 games without finding the back of the net, while fellow forward Camilo Duran, who only cost €5.5m, already sits on 13 strikes for the season. His brace against Besiktas on Thursday secured Celtic their first win in Europe.
It is an awkward situation for the Hoops to be in. For years, the club hierarchy was criticised for not spending big on signings, and then the rare time they do, they get it wrong. That said, it is way too early to give up on Hogh, and manager O'Neill knows this.
Speaking ahead of Celtic's second Premiership clash with Kilmarnock on Sunday, the 74-year-old praised Hogh's performance against Besiktas and insisted that he is "not worried" about his lack of goals, though he did admit that the "on-fire" Duran is now his main man.
"Centre-forwards need a goal," O'Neill conceded. "But that performance there against European opposition will give him confidence. I don’t know what side we will play on Sunday. But this lad has scored goals in the Champions League, remember.
"He will get a confidence boost from [Besiktas] in terms of doing that part of the game well. It will be nice for him to score a goal. I want centre-forwards to be able to hold it, and that is what he did.
"He is not Duran, he is not a dribbler. But if he can do this for us against strong opposition, it will stand him in good stead. I think the other night will be good for him. I said to him that I’m not worried about whether he scores a goal.
#CelticBeşiktaş | #UEL | #CelticFC🍀 https://t.co/t7BfTcOYdk
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) November 6, 2026
"Of course you want centre-forwards to score, and of course centre-forwards live on them. But I said to him I wanted him to be strong and fight when the ball is played up to him. I thought in terms of holding the ball up and bringing people into the game that he did really well."
On Duran, he said: “At this minute, he is on fire. He can play wide right, he has done that. He has played wide left for his other club. But centre forward is where he is dynamic.”
Read also:
Chelsea confirmation as €100m Man Utd mistake ruthlessly exploited
Mikel Arteta lays down the law at Arsenal after Christos Tzolis blunder
Liverpool wonderkid signing approved by Jurgen Klopp
Folarin Balogun warned off Man Utd transfer - but should he really steer clear?
Game over for Emegha? Chelsea target €50m striker, agent confirms
