Five Best Celtic January Transfers In Recent History Including Former City And Liverpool Hitmen

The January transfer window has now closed its doors. Are you content with the business that Celtic conducted?

Today, we’ll be taking a look at five of the best January signings made by the Celts in recent memory.

Do you agree with our picks or do you have other players you think have proved more important?

Ki Sung-yeung

Not one of the bigger names at Celtic, but nevertheless an effective presence, Ki Sung-yeung was a steady head in midfield for Celtic from 2010-2012.

Ki joined the Bhoys from FC Seoul – the transfer was conducted in 2009 and finalised in 2010. While he didn’t immediately win a place in the first team, he soon became known for his composed passing and thunderous longshots.

He was also a mainstay of the South Korea national team during the prime of his career. In total, he earned 110 caps for the Tigers of Asia, scoring ten goals.

Georgios Samaras

A cult figure at Celtic Park, Georgios Samaras had a penchant for scoring important goals for the Celts. He scored a brilliant goal on his debut against Dundee United, in a game that Celtic won 4-0.

With a 6ft 4 frame and brilliant anticipation skills, ex Manchester City striker Samaras was lethal when on form. Overall, he scored 48 goals in 156 games for Celtic.

He also represented Greece on the international stage. In total, Samaras scored nine goals in 81 appearances for Greece.

Mikael Lustig

The only defender on this list, Mikael Lustig was not an instant success at Celtic Park – he barely featured during his first few months at the club.

When Brendan Rodgers arrived at Celtic, however, this would all change – Lustig became a regular starter.

In total, Lustig would go on to enjoy his best footballing years at Celtic. He made 276 appearances for the Bhoys, scoring 21 goals – while he was primarily a defensive fullback, he was also excellent at getting forward in advanced positions.

Additionally, Lustig also picked up 94 caps for Sweden, scoring six goals.

Robbie Keane

Legendary Irish striker Robbie Keane was an instant hit at Celtic Park. Despite only being at the club for six months, he nevertheless made his mark.

Keane signed for Celtic from Tottenham in 2010 on a loan deal. During his time at the club, the former Liverpool hitman scored an impressive 12 goals in 16 SPFL games.

A boyhood Celtic fan, the move was something of a dream for Keane. Sadly, he failed to help guide Celtic to any silverware that season.

Kris Commons

Perhaps the biggest success story on this list, Kris Commons was an excellent January coup for the Celts. While he petered out somewhat towards the end of his time at Celtic Park, it’s easy to forget how good he was upon his arrival from Derby County.

He chose to sign for Celtic instead of Rangers – this alone made him popular at Celtic Park! However, he also backed this up with plenty of goals in his first few seasons.

In total, Commons scored 64 goals in 147 SPFL games for the Celts which is a very good goal return on his games played.