Celtic manager O’Neill targets squad depth after Milan friendly
Martin O’Neill praised new signing Camilo Duran following a pre-season victory over AC Milan, while pointing to ongoing recruitment needs to resolve historical goal-scoring inconsistencies.
Celtic manager Martin O’Neill has identified the need for further squad reinforcement to address the club’s historical struggles with goal-scoring consistency, following a pre-season friendly victory over AC Milan at Celtic Park on 25 July 2026. The 74-year-old manager, who previously managed Aston Villa, used the high-profile encounter against the seven-time European Cup winners to assess his squad’s readiness for the upcoming Scottish Premiership campaign.
New signing Camilo Duran was a focal point of the match, scoring his third goal in three appearances for the club. The Colombian striker, who netted five times in the UEFA Champions League during the previous term while at FC Qarabag, demonstrated a pace that reportedly challenged the Celtic TV camera operator during the opening goal. O’Neill described Duran as a “fine player” with a strong attitude and the ability to close down opponents, noting his capacity to hold up play effectively.
Despite the positive performance, O’Neill offered a measured assessment of Duran’s current standing relative to the club’s recent attacking output. The manager noted that while Duran is performing well, he has not yet reached the standard of departing forward Daizen Maeda, who provided a significant boost to the team’s results in the final weeks of the previous season. O’Neill emphasised that having a recognised striker is a critical component for resolving the team’s previous difficulties in finding the back of the net consistently.
The manager indicated a clear interest in further signings to bolster the squad’s depth, specifically naming defender Kasper Høgh from Bodo/Glimt as a potential recruit. O’Neill suggested there is no reason why Duran and Høgh could not play together, highlighting the importance of integrating new personnel to stabilise the team’s performance. The manager reflected on the previous season, acknowledging that while the team found a way to succeed, the lack of a consistent striking presence was a notable vulnerability during his tenure.
Celtic’s next fixture is scheduled for one week after the Milan game, with a Scottish Premiership match against Dundee at Celtic Park. The victory over the Italian side serves as the final warm-up for the Scottish Premiership champions before the start of the domestic season, with O’Neill focused on ensuring the squad has the necessary personnel to maintain consistency throughout the campaign.
