CELTIC MANAGER O'NEILL EXPECTS NO NEW SIGNINGS BEFORE LASK TIE

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill stated he does not anticipate squad additions before Wednesday's Champions League play-off first leg against LASK. O'Neill said there was a "fairly decent chance of nothing happening" ahead of Tuesday's transfer deadline. The manager confirmed that midfielder Arne Engels was sold to West Ham at the weekend, and the club remains in the process of identifying a replacement.

Recent arrivals Camilo Duran, Kasper Hogh, Mika Baur and Haissem Hassan have already joined the club this summer. Baur made his debut as a substitute in Sunday's 4-0 win at Dundee United and is expected to start against LASK, with Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain suspended and Reo Hatate not yet featuring this season. O'Neill acknowledged that Engels' departure leaves a gap in midfield, stating it will be "hard to replace his running power" against the Austrian champions.

O'Neill indicated he would welcome Hatate remaining at the club to fight for his place. The Japan international joined Celtic in 2022 and holds a contract with two years remaining. O'Neill said transfer enquiries have been made about the 28-year-old but described them as not "definitive", and expressed a desire to see Hatate return to the form he displayed earlier in his time at the club.