Celtic are working hard behind the scenes to appoint their next permanent manager after Brendan Rodgers’ exit, and the new man will have an eye on January. That window represents the first real chance for him to put his stamp on the squad with his own signings. The winter market is notoriously difficult for getting deals over the line, yet it will be viewed with real importance by the Scottish champions. How quickly can a new manager turn a turbulent season into a clear project? The answer may depend on how aggressively Celtic act in the coming weeks.

The summer window did not go to plan, and that left Hoops supporters bemused and angry after the club failed to reach the Champions League following defeat to Kairat Almaty in the play-off round of qualifying. There is also a current catch-up job in the Premiership, with seven points between the top two and leaders Hearts ahead, albeit with Celtic having a game in hand. January could prove key in trying to get supporters back on side, giving the team a fresh look and boosting the ranks. Celtic will hope to have the Premier Sports Cup in the trophy cabinet by then, and after that the focus will be on the Premiership, the Scottish Cup and a Europa League campaign, if they can get the needed results to escape the league phase.

To boost the new manager’s coffers to the maximum, the club could give the green light to departures for Daizen Maeda, Yang and Paulo Bernardo. Each case is different, but all three could plausibly make way to fund a new era in Glasgow’s east end.

Maeda expressed his desire for a new challenge in the summer, and interest in the speedy £1.5m attacker is set to return. His exit would generate a healthy fee. At the top level he has shown incredible work rate, a desire to go forward and back, and just how lethal he can be when he is motoring. Would Celtic really want to lose that intensity? Perhaps not lightly, but the new manager must weigh sentiment against the need for fresh investment.

Bernardo is a different situation entirely. The midfielder cost Celtic £3.5m after a successful loan from Benfica, but he has not really established himself as a leading man in the heart of the champions’ XI. Celtic’s riches are in the middle of the park, with skipper Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate, Arne Engels and Luke McCowan meaning competition is fierce. Bernardo has remained patient, but he has only had two league appearances so far this season and six in total across all competitions. Is there a route to regular starts for him under a new boss? It is hard to see one without injuries or a change of system.

Yang watched a move to Birmingham City break down in the last window, and he has hardly had a kick of late. That proposed move was said to be around £3m, and that could be welcomed for a fringe player if targets can be brought in with the wide positions, one of the areas Celtic find themselves lightest in. The new manager will need to decide whether Yang is a project worth developing or a saleable asset who can help solve a squad imbalance.

It is set to be a whirlwind start for whoever takes on the reigns full-time, with Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney currently in the dugout on an interim basis. Not only will the new man have to contend with a hectic fixture schedule, but he will need to draw up January plans for incomings and outgoings in order to get what he wants and needs. Can a new manager realistically do all of that while also chasing Hearts, defending cup ambitions and navigating Europa League demands? The task is enormous, but it is also the kind of challenge that defines a Celtic appointment.

Maeda, Bernardo and Yang could viably be three names to make way to boost the transfer kitty even further as part of a new era in Glasgow’s east end. The January 2026 window is the immediate test, and the new manager’s first moves will shape how supporters judge the appointment. Celtic need fresh energy, smarter squad balance and a clear sense of direction. The coming weeks will show whether the board and the new boss can deliver exactly that. 🍀