Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has made it clear that the club’s incoming striker, Tomas Cvancara, should not be viewed as an immediate solution to their ongoing challenges. The Czech international is poised to join Celtic on loan from Borussia Monchengladbach and is expected to be available for selection in the upcoming match against Hearts on Sunday. The loan agreement includes an option for Celtic to purchase the 25-year-old forward.
Cvancara has had a challenging stint in Germany, scoring just eight goals over two seasons. He was recently loaned to Antalyaspor, where he managed only one goal in 11 appearances before his tenure was cut short due to financial difficulties faced by the Turkish club. With the departures of key players Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah earlier this year, Celtic is still in search of effective replacements.
Speaking in Bologna prior to Thursday’s Europa League match, O’Neill provided an update on Cvancara’s transfer. “I think it’s pretty close now. He’s undergoing his medical, and things are going well. He’ll be in for the weekend game in that case,” he said.
O’Neill elaborated on the type of player Celtic can expect from Cvancara. “He’s not a target man, believe it or not. He’s not really the John Hartson type or the type when Chris Sutton played alongside Henrik Larsson. He’s quick, he’s agile, and he wants to prove himself. If you think he’s the immediate answer to any sort of problem we have, I’m not sure I’d throw that sort of responsibility on him.”
Despite his cautious approach regarding Cvancara’s potential impact, O’Neill expressed relief that Celtic is finally making progress in the transfer window. “We need some help and that was nice, I must admit,” he said. He also noted that there is still time to bring in additional players, indicating optimism about the club’s ability to strengthen its squad.
In addition to Cvancara, reports from Germany suggest that Celtic is interested in signing Xaver Schlager, a midfielder from RB Leipzig. When asked if there could be more signings before the match against Hearts, O’Neill stated, “Obviously this game takes the immediate priority. We get back on Friday and we’re working away, but I couldn’t really tell you at this minute.”
As speculation surrounds the future of players like Arne Engels and Daizen Maeda, O’Neill acknowledged their potential interest from other clubs. “If some of our players are attracting interest, that’s well done to them,” he said. “But I would like to think we could add to the squad, and I want to see what happens after that.”
Celtic currently sits 24th in the Europa League standings with seven points and faces an uphill battle to secure progression in the tournament. O’Neill’s squad recently enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Feyenoord in Rotterdam, which has provided a glimmer of hope following a disappointing home defeat to Roma.
“While their Serie A form might not be fantastic in recent weeks, we ourselves are trying to recover from our own league form,” O’Neill stated. “When I came to the football club, it’s been a bit of a struggle, but our focus was to try and get back on the domestic front as much as anything else. We’re in the competition, so we might as well see if we can get through.”
Looking ahead to the match against Hearts, O’Neill acknowledged the challenges of competing away from home against a team aiming to secure a place in the top eight. “It’s a difficult task, but we intend to put our absolute heart and soul into it,” he affirmed, confirming that Anthony Ralston will be part of the squad for the encounter.
