Celtic's Squad Depth Questioned After Champions League Exit

Callum McGregor did not bother dressing it up. Celtic’s captain walked out of Linz knowing a Champions League dream had unravelled – and that the squad, as it stands, is not strong enough.

A patched–together side saw out the closing stages of their collapse against LASK, a jarring contrast to a summer that has already seen close to £30million spent on Kasper Hogh, Camilo Duran, Haissem Hassan and Mika Baur. The money has gone out. The gaps are still there.

By the end, the line–up told its own story.

• Liam Scales, naturally a centre-back, finished at left-back.
• Dane Murray and Anthony Ralston were pressed into service in defence.
• Luke McCowan came on to bolster a tiring midfield.
• Sebastian Tounekti ended the night on the left flank.

This was not the closing act of a side built for the latter stages of Europe’s elite competition. It looked like a team held together by tape.

With eight days left before the transfer window shuts, McGregor made it clear Celtic cannot stand still.

“I think we signed well,” he told BBC Sport Scotland when asked if the club had done enough business before the tie. “Then when you look at the team that finished the game – Scalesy playing at left-back, etc – then there’s still little bits we still need to move forward.”

He was careful not to let the conversation become an excuse.

“That’s not me pinning the blame on anyone else because this is a tie we go 4-0 up in, so by no means is this me saying we need a left-back. That’s not the case.

“But then, every squad wants to be as strong as it possibly can be, and have cover and good players in every position so we’re always pushing each other.”

That is the tension Celtic now live with. The club have backed Martin O’Neill with significant investment, yet the late chaos in Linz exposed the fragility beneath the first XI. When injuries bite, when legs go, when pressure rises, the bench has to carry the load. On this evidence, it doesn’t – not yet.

The message from the captain is unmistakable. The core is competitive, the new faces add quality, but the squad still needs more depth and more genuine battles for places if Celtic are to avoid more European nights ending like this one.

Eight days remain. The question now is not whether Celtic need reinforcements. It’s whether they can find them in time.