‘Rotting’ Joel van den Berg is a cautionary tale when it comes to Celtic’s haphazard recruitment

Eric Knott of Read Celtic argues that nineteen-year-old Joel van den Berg's struggles exemplify Celtic's disorganized recruitment strategy. Following unconfirmed reports from the Daily Record that the Dutch youth international could leave on loan in January, Knott criticizes the club for paying 3.4 million pounds for a player who has made only two matchday squads and has yet to make his debut under manager Martin O'Neill.

Knott contends that signings made after Celtic's Champions League elimination by LASK were panic buys rather than strategic acquisitions. He highlights that players such as Oliver Sorensen and Jordan Lotomba have struggled to make an impact, contrasting them with regular starter Mika Baur. Knott also alleges that Dermot Desmond's board focuses heavily on short-term fixes rather than long-term squad planning.