OPINION
The next manager of Celtic – whether that be Neil Lennon or someone else – will have their work cut out in terms of recruiting new players.
The Hoops may be sitting pretty at the top of the Scottish Premiership at the moment, but that doesn’t hide the fact that they desperately need to sign players to continue their success next season.
A number of positions need strengthening, and one of those is definitely the left-back role. Kieran Tierney is usually a shoe-in for first choice, but he has been injured. Then there is Emilio Izaguirre, who is set to return to action soon.
Izaguirre may have been a great defender during his past days at Celtic, but those days are long behind him now. The Hoops need to sign someone new, someone who can bring another dimension to the team. Well, they should look at none other than Derby County left-back Marcus Olsson.
The 30-year-old is out of contract in the summer, and Celtic would be wise to snap someone with his type of experience up. He has 153 Championship appearances under his belt, and he is exactly the type of player that they should be swooping for.
Olsson has suffered from serious injury in the past with the Rams, and he was no doubt going to find it hard to break into the first team once again upon his return.
However, seeing as his deal expires in the summer, he is likely to leave Derby and seek game time elsewhere.. At Parkhead, he would have regular game time and healthy competition with the likes of Tierney.
What’s more, Celtic would not have to spend any money on a player like Olsson. What other reasons do they need to swoop for him when he is available?
Peter Lawwell would be onto a winner if he snapped up the Swede in the summer, as swooping for him would get Celtic Park rocking.