A place where Luca can bloom

It is yet another sign of the desperation at Celtic that they would sign a highly rated young international midfielder on a Saturday morning.

Of course, this will not win them the Close Season Cup as that is already heading to Ibrox.

Essentially Celtic do not have the strength in depth on the back pages to triumph in that legnedary competition.

Therefore, despite having won the last NINE domestic trophies on the bounce and can fund the biggest football budget in Scotland the Hoops are perennial losers in the Close Season Cup.

Conversely, the club that wins this coveted ethereal trophy every year is borrowing from the distressed finance sector to keep the lights on and is locked in a costly legal battle with Sports Direct.

I suppose it’s a kind of magic…

Full disclosure, I haven’t seen Luca Connell play, but I know a chap who has.

My FAI guy has been gushing about the kid to me for most of last season.

Luca is left sided and a prescient passer he was able to stand out amid the car crash that was Bolton.

Central midfield is his preferred habitat, but could do a shift at left back if called upon.

He almost certainly is not on Neil Lennon’s list of five first-team targets to which I had referred some time back.

Christopher Jullien is definitely one of that planned quintet.

The bottom line is that Celtic have the kind of money to spend that puts them on another level from anyone else in Scotland.

Without selling anyone the Parkhead side can easily fund several other £7m transfer fees without going into debt.

Conversely, if Sevco DO shell out a major transfer fee during this window then it will be funded by further borrowing at punitive rates.

Remember, dear reader they are currently in the hole to Close Brothers for over £7m and the interest on that principal will be onerous.

However, do not expect to see that basic truth related on the back pages.

Many decades ago in my undergraduate days, I was as an avid Private Eye reader.

I recall with great fondness the award-winning pish from Ee Aye Addio, their man on the terraces.

Every footie cliché was mercilessly recycled in the hilarious coverage of the ill-fated Neasden FC.

I think it was fair to say that the chaps at the Eye were not entirely impressed by the journalistic credentials of the press box inhabitants at footie matches.

Of course, on Planet Fitba life as we know has imitated the Eye.

Meanwhile, the young Irishman has made a good move in signing for the top club in Scotland.

He will find it a very different working environment from what he experienced at struggling Bolton.

The English club had to endure the ignominy of going into administration last season, but at least they won’t be liquidated.

It must be awful for a football fan to see their club die and then have to maintain the pretence that it didn’t happen at all.

Of course, such a tragic existence and living a glib and shameless lie should be called out by anyone who wishes to be a considered a journalist.

For the avoidance of doubt, your humble correspond only deals in the sad truth on such matters.

I do sometimes wonder what the chaps on the Herald sports desk think of this front page from 2012.

Rangers died seven years ago and to state anything else is an Orwellian lie.

Welcome, Luca.