Celtic board exposed by Michael Stewart following failed Kyogo move.

With nearly two weeks of the January transfer window already gone, Celtic find themselves in a painfully familiar position. Despite having known for over a year that Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure left a glaring hole in their attack, the club still appears no closer to securing a striker capable of replacing his influence.

Kyogo’s move to Rennes last January, which brought in around £10 million, was supposed to give the club both time and resources to identify a long-term successor. Yet 12 months on, that replacement has yet to arrive. While Celtic have added Shin Yamada, Callum Osmand, and Kelechi Iheanacho to their attacking ranks, even the most optimistic assessment would struggle to place any of them on the same level as the Japanese forward.

That reality has only sharpened frustrations among supporters, particularly after Celtic failed in an attempt to bring Kyogo back on loan during the current window. Former Celtic midfielder Michael Stewart believes the club’s hierarchy are now on extremely thin ice, warning that fan anger will escalate rapidly if the window closes without a proven striker arriving at Parkhead.

Speaking after the collapsed Kyogo loan move, Stewart issued a stark warning to the board, suggesting they are running out of goodwill. As the days pass with little visible progress, he argues that the club’s recruitment strategy is once again being exposed.

Stewart pointed out that the Kyogo rumours did not appear out of thin air. In his view, there is rarely speculation of that magnitude without substance behind it. What concerns him most is the lack of alternative links. With no other credible striker targets emerging, the silence has only increased anxiety around Celtic’s planning.

According to Stewart, the board now face immense pressure to deliver something unexpected and impactful. Simply signing a forward will not be enough. Any arrival must immediately raise the level of the team, something he believes recent signings have failed to do. He highlighted Shin Yamada as an example, noting that while the player was brought in during the summer, he has made little to no impression so far.

Stewart warned that repeating that pattern would only deepen supporter frustration. If Celtic recruit another forward who fails to contribute, it will inevitably lead to further questions about the competence of the recruitment department and the direction being taken by the board.

One of Stewart’s most damning criticisms centres on preparation. He believes there is no justification for the club’s current predicament. Celtic were aware as far back as August 2024 that Kyogo wanted to move on, meaning a replacement should have been identified and ready to arrive as soon as the January window opened. From his perspective, the failure to act decisively on January 1 is evidence of poor planning rather than bad luck.

As the window continues to tick down, Stewart has voiced serious concerns about what Celtic have actually achieved behind the scenes over the last several months. He questioned whether any meaningful groundwork had been done to ensure smooth recruitment, especially given the recent upheaval within the club’s football department.

The departures of key figures such as Tisdale and Nancy have only added to the sense of instability. Stewart suggested that if Celtic are now effectively rebuilding their recruitment structure from scratch, it raises alarming questions about who is currently making decisions and how quickly those processes can realistically function.

While Stewart acknowledged the quality of Martin O’Neill and his coaching staff, he stressed that even the best managers cannot overcome structural failings above them. Without proper support in the transfer market, the team risks stagnation at a crucial stage of the season.

He also highlighted the growing sense of despair among those connected to the club. Fans, staff, and observers alike have become increasingly disillusioned by the lack of visible progress. That mood, Stewart warned, could quickly turn toxic if the board fail to act decisively.

In Stewart’s view, Celtic are now at a crossroads. He believes the board must deliver something special in the coming days to restore faith and momentum. Failure to do so could have serious consequences, not only for the remainder of the season but for the overall stability of the club.

At present, Kyogo remains the only striker Celtic have genuinely pursued with conviction, while the sole alternative name linked to the club is Mohamed Bamba. However, Bamba’s well-documented issues both on and off the pitch have left supporters unconvinced that he represents a sensible solution.

That lack of credible options has only intensified frustration. For many fans, patience with the board is already stretched to its limit. If the window closes without a clear upgrade in attack, that patience may finally snap.

The sense among supporters is that Celtic cannot afford another missed opportunity. With domestic dominance and European ambitions on the line, recruitment mistakes at this stage could derail progress made under O’Neill and undo months of hard work on the pitch.

Michael Stewart’s criticism resonates because it reflects what many fans are already feeling. Celtic knew this moment was coming, had ample time to prepare, and yet still appear unready. Unless the board act quickly and decisively, the fallout from this transfer window could be long-lasting—and entirely self-inflicted.