Celtic legend Paul Lambert has declared Martin O’Neill’s permanent appointment as manager a “no-brainer” as the club prepares for a demanding summer overhaul.
O’Neill is set to remain at Parkhead on a one-year contract after two interim spells produced a league and cup double last season.
Celtic have not yet made the appointment official, but the club has opted for continuity as they look to avoid repeating the difficulties that blighted large portions of last campaign.
“It’s a no-brainer,” Lambert told BBC Scotland. “He knows the club, he knows what it is to win there.”
“Celtic is not a development club. It’s a club that has to win and there’s nobody better to do that.”
The scale of the rebuild now facing O’Neill is significant, with more than ten first-team players potentially leaving the club this summer.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has already retired through a serious shoulder injury, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Kelechi Iheanacho are both out of contract.
Loan players Marcelo Saracchi, Julian Araujo, Tomas Cvancara, Benjamin Arthur, Junior Adamu and Joel Mvuka all return to their parent clubs at the end of the season.
Japan forward Daizen Maeda, widely regarded as the driving force of Celtic’s late title surge, is entering the final year of his contract and desires a fresh challenge.
O’Neill has admitted the Scottish Cup final victory over Dunfermline was likely Maeda’s last appearance for the club, representing a major loss in attacking quality.
Reo Hatate has also been linked with a departure, while Celtic rejected a £25m bid for midfielder Arne Engels in January and may face renewed pressure this summer.
Benjamin Nygren is expected to attract interest following a superb debut season in Scotland, and captain Callum McGregor’s future also carries some uncertainty.
“I want to be here. I just want to make sure that the club continue to push and want to be successful,” McGregor said at the end of the campaign.
“We know the league’s getting more competitive and teams are spending more money. We have to match that and try to push on as well. If you want to be successful, you have to keep pushing.”
McGregor has previously been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia to join former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, adding further intrigue to his contractual situation.
Celtic must also learn from the transfer failings of last season, when incoming signings were left dangerously late and the club were eliminated from Champions League qualifying as a result.
Michel-Ange Balikwisha arrived for a significant fee after prolonged negotiations yet failed to make any meaningful contribution to the squad.
When O’Neill returned for his second interim spell following Wilfried Nancy’s sacking, none of the January loan signings featured after the split, through injury or a lack of trust from the manager.
Celtic’s attacking output declined sharply last term, with the club managing just 73 league goals compared to 112 during Brendan Rodgers’ title-winning campaign in 2024-25.
Forward reinforcements are clearly the priority this summer, particularly given that Celtic have still not replaced Kyogo Furuhashi since his departure two years ago, while Jota remains unavailable through long-term injury.
Lambert is confident O’Neill will take a hands-on approach to reshaping the squad ahead of what promises to be a pivotal window for the club.
“Hopefully he gets the players he wants to carry the club forward,” Lambert said. “It’s a big summer for Celtic. I think what happened last year has given them a fright.”
“What he did was galvanise things and I’m pretty sure he will have the last say on which players come in.”
O’Neill can draw on his own history for encouragement, having signed Chris Sutton, Joos Valgaeren, Alan Thompson and later Neil Lennon during his first summer at the club in 2000.
With a Champions League play-off round scheduled for 18/19 August, Celtic have precious little time to get their rebuilding work right this summer.
