Colin Dempster's Secret Anatomy of a Celtic Deadline Day Deal

Celtic’s approach to Deadline Day is a tightly choreographed pipeline designed to clear paperwork, medicals and international compliance before the cut-off. The article breaks down the process by comparing it to buying a car: first the “sticker price” must be locked in through a written transfer agreement, including fees, payment instalments, sell-on clauses and agent terms—without signatures, the clubs won’t authorize travel or medical appointments. After boards sign, the player moves through a London “hub” for fast-track medicals typically spanning 4 to 6 hours, often using advanced imaging and specialist sports medicine clinics. The club doctor then completes a risk assessment based on injury history.