MusaA tremor of the old, thunderous energy that once shook Celtic Park under Martin O’Neill has reverberated through the modern support, courtesy of the most trusted voice in football transfers. Fabrizio Romano, the oracle of the deal sheet, has ignited a fierce optimism by reporting serious Celtic interest in RB Leipzig’s Austrian midfield enforcer, Xaver Schlager.
For fans who remember the seismic arrivals of a Sutton or a Lennon, the very notion of chasing a current Austrian international starring in the Bundesliga and Champions League evokes the scale of ambition that defined the O’Neill years. It’s a statement target, and Romano has confirmed the statement is being drafted.
“Understand Celtic have concrete interest in Xaver Schlager,” Romano reported. “He’s a player they really appreciate. Talks are at an early stage but there is a feeling this could be a major opportunity. The player’s profile is exactly what the club wants – a leader, a fighter, with top-level experience.”
These words, wrapped in Romano’s trademark cautious certainty, are more than just a transfer link. They are a manifesto. Schlager, 26, is not a project for the future. He is the finished article: a tireless, tactically astute defensive midfielder whose game is built on aggression, intelligence, and an unyielding competitive spirit. Picture a modern, technically refined incarnation of Neil Lennon’s steel – a player who wouldn’t just suit the intensity of Celtic Park, but would amplify it.
This is precisely the kind of signing Martin O’Neill built his legendary sides upon. O’Neill’s genius lay in identifying commanding personalities with the quality to dominate the Scottish game and fear no one in Europe. In Schlager, Celtic now see a player who embodies that same mentality. He is a battle-hardened veteran of Europe’s top tier, a regular for his country, and a player whose primary function is to dictate the tempo of a match through force and precision.
Romano’s update provides the crucial modern validation. “It’s an ambitious deal, of course,” he added, supplying the necessary context. “Schlager is important for Leipzig. But Celtic are pushing, they see a unique chance here. The player’s desire will be key.”
This final point is the spark for true belief. The “O’Neill model” was never just about money; it was about selling a project, a passion, and a stage. Convincing a player of Schlager’s calibre to swap the Bundesliga for the Premiership requires selling the visceral, unparalleled experience of Celtic – a task at which O’Neill was a master. Romano’s hint that the “player’s desire will be key” suggests this is more than a mere financial transaction; it’s a pitch for the heart as much as the head.
While the green-and-white faithful are yet to hear the magical “here we go,” the very fact that Fabrizio Romano has framed this as a serious, active pursuit has changed the atmosphere. It signals a return to a transfer ideology many thought was consigned to history: targeting prime, elite-ready talent to make an immediate and monumental impact.
The pursuit of Xaver Schlager is more than a potential signing. It’s a promise of intent, a rekindling of a former glory, and a direct channel to the defiant, ambitious spirit of the Martin O’Neill era. Thanks to Fabrizio Romano’s positive update, the Celtic support now dares to dream that such spirit is not just a memory, but a blueprint for the future.
Musa
