Five free agents that could impact Celtic first team now

The current situation Celtic find themselves in is unprecedented in recent history.  Nine in a row champions, Quadruple Treble winners and an Invincibles season is the kind of success that has graced us in the last 10 seasons.  This season, however, has been shambolic from the summer signings, European performances, League Cup elimination at home and, of course, the summer trip to Dubai.

I want to focus on the signings and the performance of the first team and give you suggestions on who is available, RIGHT NOW, that could make an instant impact on the first  team.

We all know the goalkeeping situation is a problem area.  Shelling out £5m on Vasilis Barkas seems, for now, the biggest transfer disaster since Rafael Scheidt.  The central defensive area is certainly a bone for contention as the team are currently leaking goals, especially at set plays, at an alarming rate.

Although we have seen Soro and Turnbull make the breakthrough this season, maybe it was too much expectation on such young shoulders to ask them to deliver the “Ten” especially when Brown, Christie and McGregor have been off form for much of the season.

And with Edouard laid low with COVID and a recurring injury, Griffiths spending half the season getting fir and Klimala and Ajeti not hitting the heights as  yet, the front line is limp and needs experience, class and a proven track record of hitting the back of the net.

Ladies and gents, my suggestions on who Celtic could sign right now is next.

Jozo Simunovic (CB)

A name we are all familiar with, Jozo Simunovic, signed for Celtic in 2015 from Dinamo Zagreb. He spent much of his first season on the sidelines as he suffered an ankle injury early on his Celtic career that kept him out until January 2016.  On return from this injury, Simunovic scored his first ever goal against Dundee Utd in a 4-1 win but picked up knee ligament damage a week later and was again out for the rest of the season.

During the pre season, the Croat, was linked to a move to Torino but after failing a medical, the move fell through.  This was a turning point for the young defender as he struck up a partnership with Eric Sviatchenko in the heart of the Celtic defence and went on to win a Treble.

Jozo was famous for two things in his Celtic career.  “THAT” tackle on Kenny Miller at Ibrox in the Glasgow Derby and he also scored on the anniversary of Celtic legend Billy McNeill’s death in the 67th minute, wearing the Number 5 jersey.

Ashley Williams (CB)

Ashley Williams is a big, burly central defender with plenty of international experience and also has played in League 1, English Championship and the English Premier League.

He started his career at Hednesford Town were he plied his trade for to seasons before earning a move to Stockport County where he made 162 appearances for the club.

In 2008, he made a permanent move to Swansea City, after spending a year on loan at the club, in a move worth £400,000. He spent eight years at the Welsh club helping to take them to the second tier of English football for the first time in 24 years. In 2008 he was name Welsh Footballer of the Year.

He then helped guide Swansea into the promised land of the English Premier League in 2011 after winning the play off final at Wembley and also helped The Swans win their first major trophy, the League Cup in 2013.

So impressive was his form, he earned a £12m move to Everton in 2016 and made over 60 appearances for the club domestically and in the Europa League.

Williams has 84 Welsh caps to his name and helped take Wales to the Euro’s in 2016, the first major tournament the country had qualified for in over 50 years. Williams would bring bags of international experience to a back line that simply cannot stop leaking goals.

Joe Ledley(CM)

Another familiar face to the Celtic support is Joe Ledley.  The former Welsh international joined Celtic in 2010 and spent four years at the club. He won three Scottish Premier League titles and a Scottish Cup during his time at the Hoops and was a firm fans favourite. Tough in the tackle and a good engine, Ledley had a great work rate. He was a great box to box midfielder, great in attack and just as effective at protecting his back four. He made 106 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 20 goals before he was moved on to Crystal Palace.

Ledley never wanted to leave Celtic Park and the manager was keen to keep him at the club, but CEO Peter Lawwell forced through a move to Crystal Palace for and undisclosed fee in 2014.

Ledley has bags of international experience as he earned 77 caps for his country and he was also Wales’ youngest ever captain in a 2010 World Cup qualifier against Estonia which his team won 1-0

Michael Rensing(GK)

Michael Rensing is one of those goalkeepers that was a victim of circumstance. He joined Bayern Munich in 2002 and was the understudy to the great Oliver Khan. Rensings first team appearances was limited due to the legendary goalkeeper but he did eventually make 53 appearances for the Bayern first team as Khans’s career wound down.  Rensing gained valuable Champions League at the German cracks and also made a number of Europa League appearances.

He eventually left Bayern in 2010 for FC Koln where he spent a further two years in the Bundesliga making just under 50 appearances for the club. He moved on in 2013 and spent seven seasons at Fortuna Dusseldorf making 132 appearances for the club.

Rensings international career never really took off due to living in the shadow of Oliver Khan, but he did represent his country  at u-19 and u-21 level on numerous occasions.

Wilfried Bony(CF)

Wilfired Bony is an Ivory Coast international with 56 caps to his name and 16 international goals.  He has bags of Premier League experience having made 54 appearances with Swansea City, scoring 26 goals.

He really made his breakthrough at Vittesse Arnhem where he scored 46 goals in 55 appearances and earned a £12m move to the Welsh club. Bony has great experience playing on the continent not only in Holland but also with Swansea where he helped them secure Europa League football.

His impressive form saw him earn a shock £25m move to mega bucks Manchester City, but his appearances were few and far between as he only made 36 appearances in two seasons, scoring only six goals. He was loaned out to Stoke City but that was short lived before earning another move back to Swansea in 2017 where he spent a further 2 seasons.

After he was released from Swansea he signed for Al-Itthad where he spent 18 months before both parties came together to end the contract with mutual consent.