Martin O’Neill has warned that Celtic are facing a major squad overhaul during the summer transfer window…O’Neill expects significant movement at Celtic Park, with a number of players likely to depart as the club prepares for a huge rebuild.
Several loanees are set to return to their parent clubs, while players such as Daizen Maeda and Arne Engels could be sold to help finance the rebuild. Fringe players – including Maik Nawrocki, Luis Palma and Johnny Kenny – are also due back for pre-season training at Lennoxtown, adding to the likelihood of a clear-out.
O’Neill – who is anticipated to step away from his current role – admitted he had underestimated the scale of the changes needed.
Spirit of ’86 – Celtic team’s welcome to Paradise. Saturday 25 April 2026. Celtic v Falkirk. Scottish Premiership. Photo Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
Speaking via Daily Record, O’Neill said: “To bring new people in, you’ll have to. Absolutely. You couldn’t cope with that. You couldn’t cope. And that might not be the easiest thing in the world.
“Of course we’ve got some players here that other teams in big leagues will probably want. And that’s something to consider. But if you’re talking about players coming back from loans and stuff like this here, who maybe have another two years to run, those things might be difficult.
“So it is, yeah. I suppose the last thing that those players want to do is having been out on loan, then going back out on loan again. Either they want something permanent or they want to feel as if they could do the job here.
“The answer is I haven’t seen those players. So I should really be looking at what they can do. But I honestly haven’t at the time at this minute.”
O’Neill also confirmed, as reported on The Celtic Star earlier this morning, that Daizen Maeda rejected a contract extension back in August and reiterated that Wolfsburg were interested in signing the Japanese forward in the summer window.
Daizen Maeda opens the scoring during Celtic’s 6-2 Scottish Cup semi-final win over St Mirren at Hampden on Sunday 19 April 2026. Photograph by Vagelis Georgariou
The Celtic manager indicated that unless the Daizen Maeda puts pen to paper on a new deal this summer, he may move on to help fund the significant squad rebuild at Celtic this summer. O’Neill was asked about the possibility of a new contract being agree with the Japanese talisman.
He’s got one more year,” Martin O’Neill pointed out via The Herald. “That would be something [new contract]the club, and he would have to be talking about.
“If he didn’t want to stay any longer, then that would be a choice for the football club to try and sell him with a year left to run. I just assume that would be the normal thing.
Daizen Maeda celebrates during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on April 25, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)
“But he’s come back to a bit of form, which is great. And I’ll look short-term at this minute and see how he can cope with the next five games.”
“I think there were contract talks with him… was it last August time or was it the time before that? I do know that there were talks and there was a contract in front of him, which he didn’t sign at the time,” Martin O’Neill said.
“I don’t know the position now. Wolfsburg were coming in for him and it didn’t materialise. I think obviously he became a bit despondent because it was a chance for him to play in the Bundesliga.
“So that didn’t happen. Maybe his head was all over the place for a while, but he has certainly settled down. “But in terms of what’s happening in the future, I don’t know.”
Daizen Maeda celebrates during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and Falkirk at Celtic Park on April 25, 2026. (Photo by Zak Mauger/Getty Images)
Celtic facing major squad overhaul this summer says Martin O’Neill