Sky Sports pundit Andy Walker thinks the failure to sign an established first-team player in the January transfer window may have cost them in their attempts to progress in the Europa League.

The Hoops signed midfielder Ismaila Soro and Patryk Klimala; neither of which have featured prominently since they were brought to Parkhead, and Walker feels some experienced additions were needed:

“I’m sure Neil Lennon would have preferred for the club to have made a good signing in the January transfer window, someone that might have helped them in Europe, someone that might have improved their starting eleven. But it wasn’t to be, they signed another couple of younger players and there’ll be no criticism of the board from Neil Lennon, that’s not part of the deal.”

It is very hard to tell whether one or two new players would have made any difference to Celtic crashing out against FC Copenhagen last week.

However, there can be no argument that Celtic could do with some extra depth in some positions of the pitch. Captain Scott Brown has played 47 games already this season and had to be rushed back into action for the second leg after limping off during the first game in Denmark.

Jozo Simunovic had made just six league starts following a return from a serious knee injury, and Neil Lennon’s main alternative on the bench was midfielder Nir Bitton.

Of course, Lennon’s decision to switch to a back four after employing a 3-5-2 formation so successfully in recent weeks, also played a role, but a new signing could have made all the difference on Thursday night.