Within the mere blink of an eye, Celtic’s pool of midfielders is an agonisingly sore gaze.

For so many years now, it has been the club’s persistent power card. Every manager’s dream headache – too many talented players at his disposal.

Ange Postecoglou will have many a headache during his reign, you can be assured of that, but certainly, in the immediate future, it won’t be over a ‘midfield overload.’ Many saw it coming. Me? Too naïve. I can distinctly remember comments entering podcast feeds and posts appearing on my Twitter timeline, urging the Celtic board to splash the cash on a midfielder.

I wanted and advocated for Ali McCann as much as anyone who has seen the talented 21-year-old would. But through greed, not necessity. I’ve remained curious around calls for the club to try and snatch Lewis Ferguson from Aberdeen. My overriding feeling always seems to be, ‘ach, folk just trying to fill the Scott Brown void.’ Never have I thought his signature was a necessity to capture.

Yet I sit here today, reflecting on Celtic’s transfer business, with a hit of concern. Do not be fooled, if you had shown me the graphic that the club’s media team produced, that has all the summer signings together, I’d have bitten your hand off at it. It has been a very impressive window, but somehow, despite those 12 new signatures, the team still looks light in bodies.

As the hours ticked away on Tuesday afternoon, I gradually fell further into a deep sense of security that Ryan Christie’s projected move to English Championship outfit, Bournemouth, wouldn’t be pulled off. With only a matter of hours until the window slammed shut, the haven I built for myself crumbled.

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This one stung, for many a reason. Instantly, his departure to Bournemouth felt underwhelming – a sentiment many have supported. Secondly, this was a player who in recent weeks – aside from his final outing against Rangers – has thrived under Postecoglou. But finally, it marked the loss of one of the team’s most versatile figures.

I’m not suggesting every stint in such roles were a success, but Christie had the ability to operate down both flanks and portray himself as a false nine, as well as ultimately, pop up in any area of the midfield, where he was truly at his best.

But it is a new dawn now. The club is entering an era without the likes of Christie, Odsonne Edouard and Kris Ajer who have all been staples in the recent chapters of the club’s history.

Late deals were secured on transfer deadline to fill the voids left by the latter pair – in the forms of Giorgos Giakoumakis and Cameron Carter-Vickers – but the same cannot be said in Christie’s place and that makes for a little cause of concern.

Only twice thus far this season – at home to St Mirren and away to AZ Alkmaar – has David Turnbull lasted the 90 minutes. It was a noticeable trait last season too, but now, it's even more concerning. Similarly, Tom Rogic is renowned for departing the pitch around the hour mark. Any longer on the park and his magic touch is nowhere to be found.

So, where does this leave Postecoglou’s midfield options? Of course, Callum McGregor will, nine times out of ten, play the entire duration with ease, but he is secured in the deep, number 6 role in the team, here we are highlighting who plays in front of him. Ismalia Soro is an ever-present on the bench, but his impact in any attacking sense, is minimal.

It appears Celtic are entering the remainder of the first half of the season with two attacking-minded midfielders, neither of whom consistently last 90 minutes. For me, that is worrying, especially in an age of Angeball.

The worry has been married with bemusement. The same day Christie departed, so did Scott Robertson. The 20-year-old joined Crewe Alexandra on a loan move – his third stint away from Celtic.

While there have been no signs of Robertson breaking into the starting team, he drifts in and out of matchday squads, and surely must have been due a crack of the whip soon.

An exciting prospect, who made his senior debut for Celtic in a Europa League group stage match against CFR Cluj, perhaps surprisingly, didn’t catch the eye of the Australian boss.

Another youthful talent is off ‘gaining experience’ but ultimately, it’s a loss of a body that Celtic so desperately crave.