Celtic face Jota setback as O’Neill weighs future
O’Neill says Jota’s cruciate recovery has setbacks and he is unlikely to make pre-season, possibly out until October. Boss to discuss future, urges keeping staff. Options on Iheanacho and Oxlade-Chamberlain loom.
Centre-back Scott McKenna, linked with Celtic, insists he will stay at Dinamo Zagreb after their league and cup double, citing a four-year deal and World Cup focus amid a reported £10m valuation.
Liam Scales hails Celtic’s nine-win surge to seal the double, says momentum brings positivity and a push to improve, and targets putting right last season’s Champions League qualifying exit.
Kelechi Iheanacho, scorer in the 3-1 Scottish Cup win over Dunfermline, will not confirm if he stays. On a one-year deal with option, he said: ‘I don't know, we will wait and see.’ He has 9 goals in 24 games.
O’Neill, 74, will meet Dermot Desmond and is unsure about staying as Celtic manager despite delivering a Double, citing workload and pressure. He praises his coaching staff and says he wants more than ‘10 minutes’.
Celtic want Marcelo Saracchi permanently after his loan. Boca Juniors are ready to sell to free a foreign slot, putting Celtic in a strong position, though no fee is set and talks have stalled.
After Celtic’s Double-sealing 3-1 win, SLO John-Paul Taylor mocked Derek McInnes’ ‘disgusting’ penalty claim from the Motherwell game, posting a trophy clip captioned: ‘It’s actually disgusting.’
Auston Trusty hails Callum McGregor as the driving force behind Celtic’s Double and tips him to manage one day. He credits O’Neill’s impact and reflects on the run culminating in the 3-1 Scottish Cup win.
Celtic weigh Shaun Maloney for sporting director after he steered recruitment and coaching under Martin O’Neill in the double-winning season, with O’Neill and Robbie Keane considered for head coach.
Maeda scored a lob in the 3-1 cup final win and hit 17 goals this season, 9 in his last 7. With past Wolfsburg interest and contract issues, a summer sale is possible amid praise from O’Neill as ‘Larssonesque’.
Celtic’s 3-1 Scottish Cup win completes the double and triggers European slots: Celtic to Champions League play-off, Hearts to CL Q2, Ibrox to Europa League Q2, Motherwell and Hibs to Conference League Q2.
Rangers’ recruitment chief Andrew Cavenagh targets ‘leaders’ in a summer rebuild. No Celtic-specific transfer details are confirmed.
