It was almost exactly a year ago that Brendan Rodgers was forced into a desperate late deal to sign Kelechi Iheanacho, with Celtic left short upfront following the last-gasp sale of Adam Idah.

Rodgers, it must be said, had been left with such an underwhelming pool of strikers in the form of Johnny Kenny, Callum Osmand and Shin Yamada, having failed to properly replace Kyogo Furuhashi following his January sale.

Now, however, the situation looks increasingly more promising, with Kasper Hogh already making a strong first impression in green and white, while the versatile Camilo Duran has scored three in his last two outings as the leading number nine.

Throw into the mix the exciting loan arrival of Shim Mheuka, and Martin O'Neill is now brimming with options in attack. That's not good news for everyone, however.

Why Celtic are already getting excited about Mheuka after debut display

There might be a tinge of frustration at having made quite so many loan moves late in the day this week, with that approach backfiring back in January.

At centre-forward, in particular, the addition of Tomas Cvancara and Junior Adamu failed to have the desired effect, the Bundesliga pair ultimately netting just three Celtic goals between them.

In the case of Mheuka, he may have only made a cameo appearance on Wednesday, although the teenager has already captured the attention of the Parkhead faithful. He certainly looks a handful, doesn't he?

The 18-year-old has previously been prolific at youth level, scoring 25 in 49 games for Chelsea's U21 side, alongside netting 16 in 25 for England's U19 outfit, suggesting that he is a man with a real natural goalscoring instinct.

That was evident against Aberdeen as Mheuka showed no sign of nerves, immediately making an impression after firing an effort on goal late on on his left foot.

Previously hailed as the "future of Chelsea and English football" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he's the type of player Celtic will just have to cherish while he's here. A recent contract extension until 2033 suggests he's not leaving Stamford Bridge permanently any time soon.

In any case, in the short-term, this could be a standout season for the teenage goal machine, with O'Neill's striking pool undergoing a key revamp.

​​​​​​​Why Mheuka signing could spell the end for Celtic striker

Of last year's crop, Iheanacho is now plying his trade in Turkey's second tier, Yamada has been sent out on loan for the second time in three months, while Kenny has joined EFL Championship Preston North End on a £3m deal.

In Hogh, Duran and Mheuka, the Hoops appear to have clearly upgraded, with there likely to be real competition for places when everyone is fit and available.

The only concern might be as to what that means for the aforementioned Osmand, the 20-year-old likely to be shunted further down the pecking order following this batch of new arrivals.

He had been almost like the modern-day Moussa Dembele in some sense, mirroring the Frenchman in signing from Fulham following the expiry of his contract, with Dembele having only been 19 himself at the time of the move.

Of course, injury, alongside his lack of action under Rodgers, ensured Osmand didn't exactly live up to Dembele's debut season heroics, although like the prolific former Celtic man, the Jersey-born speedster did prove himself to be a man for the big occasion.

He's only scored twice in a Hoops shirt, yet they might have been two of the most memorable goals of 2025/26, having first slid in to seal the win against Rangers in the League Cup semi-final.

Subsequently injured against FC Midtjylland, Osmand didn't feature again until the final day, coming off the bench to tee up Daizen Maeda to make it 2-1, before enjoying the crowning moment himself after slotting into an empty net.

Yes, it wasn't quite Dembele's hat-trick heroics in the derby, but Osmand certainly made an impression when it mattered most, securing almost cult status considering how little he's been seen in action.

There's a player there, alright, yet with two genuine strikers signed in the form of Hogh and Mheuka, alongside the presence of the free-scoring Duran, it's difficult to see where his involvement might come from.

He has been selected in O'Neill's Europa League squad, with Mheuka among the teenage trio to have been omitted, yet the concern regarding his fitness woes continues.

Osmand appeared to sustain an injury following the win over Falkirk last weekend, a frustrating sight for a young man who simply can't seem to catch a break in Glasgow.

Perhaps it might be unfair to write him off so quickly, with Mheuka only just in the building, yet having seen the on-loan Chelsea striker in action on Wednesday night, Osmand should well be fearing for his game time this season.