Celtic FC Women News – Elena Sadiku closing in on two new signings

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The Celtic Star

·21 de agosto de 2025

Celtic FC Women News – Elena Sadiku closing in on two new signings

Celtic FC Women manager Elena Sadiku spoke to the media today ahead of Sunday’s game against Hamilton Accies. Here are the key takeaways from an interesting press conference which Jessica Elliott attended representing The Celtic Star…

Morgan Cross scores for Celtic FC Women. Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

Expect to see attacking football

Elena Sadiku hinted during today’s press conference that Celtic fans will be seeing more attacking football from the team this season. She said: “The way we played [attacking football], you should expect [to see]that [more]. Having Emma Lawton being attacking is something we want but we want the left full back to be the same. You’re probably going to see a very attacking team this season and that’s something we want to keep building on.”

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Lisa Robertson’s position

Lisa Robertson, Celtic FC Women. Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

The Celtic manager also gave some clarification on the position of Lisa Robertson, who returned to the club in the summer. She made her second debut against Hearts on Sunday, but was playing in the left-back position, even though supporters expected to see her in more of a midfield role. Clarifying this, Sadiku said: “If [Lisa Robertson] is going to be one of them [an attacking option in defence], it’s up to see. Robertson is a great six and that’s mostly where I want to use her.”

Getting the most out of Amy Gallacher

Amy Gallacher, Celtic FC Women. Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

When asked about Amy Gallacher and how she plans to get the best out of her this campaign, Sadiku said: “My view of Gallacher has never really changed. She didn’t have as good a season last season but I don’t think many had the best season last season either.

“This season, Gallacher is one of the vice captains, a big role, and she’s done really great in that role already in terms of being a leader on the pitch and off the pitch as well. Her strengths are her technical, her game vision.

“She’s a magician on the pitch”

“She’s a magician on the pitch. Her quality and her finishes, how to read the game, how to set up players like she did with Morgan Cross, and hopefully we can get the best out of her this season. She obviously needs to make sure she’s the best that she can be but as staff, we’re really trying to make sure we get the best out of every player that we have in the squad.”

Clare Walsh’s vice captaincy

Claire Walsh, Celtic FC Women, Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

Some supporters may have been surprised to see new signing Walsh be given the co-vice captaincy alongside Gallacher, but Sadiku explained her reasoning. She said: “As a new player coming in from one of our biggest rivals, seeing how things are at Celtic.

“It’s not only because she comes from there like she is a leader, she is experienced. She’s good with people around her and I think to have new eyes, like many things that she has seen here at Celtic Park she has been impressed, like “wow, this is so good”. Having someone new in the captaincy group, she has other experiences she can bring along, so very happy with that.”

New defensive signing on the horizon

Morgan Cross scores for Celtic FC Women. Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

When speaking about player fitness and confirmed signings, Sadiku also hinted towards another centre-back coming in the door soon enough. The deal appears to be done, with Sadiku saying: “Hopefully we get an announcement of a new player soon, so that will be good.”

When asked for clarification on what position the player would be playing in, she hinted: “We’re a bit short in the centre-back position since Chloe Craig’s long-term injury. Hopefully she’ll be back soon enough but that’s one of the positions that we’ve looked at.”

But it’s not only defensive signings, because Sadiku also said that the club are looking to increase their attacking power: “Already, also looking at strengthening or having more players as an alternative in offensive positions.”

The travelling Celtic support

Celtic FC Women line-up versus Hearts on 17 August 2025 on the opening day of the new SWPL1 season. Celtic won 2-1. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star).

Sunday against Hamilton Accies is the first home game of the season for Celtic FC Women, and the support will be out in their numbers to support the Ghirls. Sadiku was very happy with the amount of people that came out to support Celtic on opening day, saying: “It felt like we were playing at home when we were playing at Oriam because we had so many fans there. They are brilliant. We love them.”

Celtic FC Women v FC Twenty. UEFA Women’s Champions League, New Douglas Park, Hamilton on 8 October 2024. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star)

On the return to New Douglas Park, she said: “Playing at Hamilton, hopefully we can have more fans showing up, we want to play for them, we want to make sure that we give back to the support that we have, which is incredible support. It’s going to be nice to play at home again, so looking forward to it.”

How Natalie Ross took the captaincy news

Natalie Ross, Celtic FC Women, Hearts 1-2 Celtic FC Women, 17 August 2025. Photo AJ The Celtic Star

After Ross was left out of the named captaincy squad, Sadiku was asked about her decision and how Ross took the news. The Celtic FC women head coach replied: “We had a clear discussion together with Ross. She didn’t take it badly. I was honest about why and she’s still a strong player in the team. She maybe doesn’t have the captaincy but she’s an informal leader.

“She means a lot on the pitch and I think that’s something she knows already. She hasn’t stopped. She keeps doing what she’s good at and that’s the most important thing. As I said before, I’ve explained it to you guys [the media]as well in terms of the reasons why, but the captaincy group are here full time in terms of Gallacher and Walsh.

Celtic FC Women line-up versus Hearts on 17 August 2025 on the opening day of the new SWPL1 season. Celtic won 2-1. Photo AJ (The Celtic Star).

“And then we have the leadership group who are also supporting in that. So really happy with the settings and I have a great relationship with Ross and she’s still going strong so happy with that as well.”

No video from the club yet on their YouTube page, but the takeaways from above will be the main talking points from Elena Sadiku’s media conference which took place earlier today.