Managers across the globe crave transfer arrivals who will make an instant impact.
Yes, sometimes patience is key when identifying potential new arrivals, however, nothing can transform a season like the perfect arrival at the right time. But it's not transformation Celtic need, of course, the dominant force in Scottish football have a trophy in the bag, sit 15 points clear in the Premiership and are one win from a spot in the Champions League knockout playoff round.
Immediate impacts are important and they are made easier when new signings offer quality. Boss Brendan Rodgers covets that trait as he aims to push Celtic to new heights. No new signings will be able to feature against Young Boys or Aston Villa but extra class gives the dominant force in Scottish football a shot against who lies in wait if they rubber stamp their first knockout appearance in 12 years.
So Record Sport has been wheeling and dealing and landed three new signings which would give this team something extra. Between the sticks there is no change, Kasper Schmeichel remains in situ with his American Bhoys in Cameron Carter-Vickers and Auston Trusty standing tall in central defence.
But it's at full-back where it gets interesting. Alistair Johnston is entrenched as the starting right back and the Canada international is as good as anyone to go before him in recent memory. Josip Juranovic and Mika Lustig were adored, however, Johnston's robustness and underlapping runs set him apart.
And on the left, welcome back Kieran Tierney. The boyhood fan is on the verge of sealing a pre-contract from Arsenal in the summer. But an instant return would allow Rodgers to bring back one of his favourite tactics. The Irishman loved having Tierney and Lustig take turns in bombing down the line, while the other would stay back and form a back three. Greg Taylor, for all his manager's kind words, still remains at his best when he comes inside. Tierney's return will see Rodgers' options multiply.
Callum McGregor remains locked in as the lynchpin of the Celtic midfield and Arne Engels sitting beside him, perhaps, gets the best out of a player who has improved markedly since the Premier Sports Cup Final. The £11m man has, arguably, been Celtic's best player in every game he's started and was a denied a shot from the start at Ibrox due to illness.
How does a £40m-rated playmaker behind a main striker sound? It's the type of move which gets punters excited and a potential move for Carney Chukwuemeka doesn't appear as outlandish as his lofty valuation suggests. Chelsea want to sell the former Aston Villa kid, however, a permanent deal is proving problematic. That has the Blues considering a six-month loan to maximise the talented playmaker's value in the summer. Dortmund are also keen. Chukwuemeka can play on the wing as well.
The only good news over Daizen Maeda's injury is it avoids any controversy over dropping Jota back into a starting Celtic XI 18 months after he left in a £25m deal to Al-Ittihad. The switch was an unmitigated disaster and the subsequent move to Rennes has also been all wrong. Jota is in need of a hug and the temptation to return 'home' could be a perfect short-term solution for all involved. Nicolas Kuhn is the red-hot favourite to be crowned Scotland's best player. An automatic starter and Pat Nevin reckons the 24-year-old is on a similar trajectory to Virgil van Dijk – ripping Scottish football up before becoming a world star.
And don't call it a comeback but Kyogo is back as the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership. The signing announcement for Atlanta United led to a grovelling apology and the Parkhead talisman reminded everyone of his knack for the net as he bagged a brace against Ross County on Saturday. Rodgers isn't bereft of options but Celtic adding extra quality appears a necessity for a side eyeing another Treble while making serious gains in Europe.
Celtic revamped XI
