Martin O'Neill hopes to have new faces at Celtic in time for Hearts clash
Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is hopeful of getting reinforcements in for their crucial clash with William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts.
The champions are still to make a January signing, despite O'Neill admitting new arrivals are "absolutely essential", while title rivals Hearts and Rangers have both strengthened their squads.
O'Neill ruled out having fresh faces in before Sunday's Scottish Gas Scottish Cup tie against Auchinleck Talbot and they would not be able to field new signings in their Europa League contest with Bologna next Thursday.
But he dangled some hope for Celtic fans that they might have additions for the trip to Tynecastle on January 25.
O'Neill was asked about reports linking Celtic with a move for 33-year-old West Ham striker Callum Wilson, who has scored four Premier League goals this season.
"I can't tell you anything," he said. "For want of telling you, it was news to me at the time. But we are in search of those elusive goalscorers. But we're not the only team as well.
"On a serious note, I can't tell you anything about it, but we are - is it becoming my favourite phrase? - we are making progress.
"Remarkably, I think we are. We're definitely a bit closer.
"Obviously, we can't change the squad around for the Bologna game, but we'd like to have some people in for Hearts if it's at all possible.
"I'd be hoping by some stage next week that we'd have people in. I'm actually very worried I've said that now."
When asked again about Wilson, O'Neill added: "I hadn't thought about that. Not that he's not a very, very fine player, but I thought he was going elsewhere."
O'Neill renews his relationship with the Scottish Cup at Rugby Park on Sunday, more than 20 years after winning the competition for the third time with victory over Dundee United in the final game of his first spell in charge.
It was a third triumph in five years. The other two campaigns ended with a 3-2 final defeat by Rangers and a shock loss at Inverness.
The 73-year-old said: "My memories of the Scottish Cup as a kid growing up was always because the only live game on TV would be the English cup final. You're always getting news through at half-time what was happening at Hampden. The crowds that used to go to the games were phenomenal.
"So to come up and win it a few times was great. And then to lose, particularly to Caledonian Thistle, it was my fault really because I changed the team round completely. I didn't know whether we would have the energy having just beaten Liverpool on a Thursday night.
"So, some good and some bad memories.
"Dundee United was my last ever game. It was nice to end, but the previous week we'd thrown the league away at Motherwell, and I knew that this was going to be my last game from that point. So, it was lovely to win, but I have to say that the Motherwell game was still in my mind at that time."
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