While Rangers were furiously working on late-night potential deals for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey and Hearts defender John Souttar – only the former came to pass – Celtic were only concerning themselves with smaller details, as to where youngsters Osaze Urhoghide (Oostende) and Adam Montgomery (Aberdeen) would be farmed out to on loan, as to whether they could offload squad fillers such as Vasilis Barkas, Ismaila Soro, Boli Bolingoli and Albian Ajeti. All the major business has been done early.

The proof will be in the pudding as to whether this has been a successful January window or not. However, new chief executive Michael Nicholson and manager Ange Postecoglou decided that they needed reinforcements and they needed them early.

Japanese trio Daizen Maeda, Yosuke Ideguchi and Reo Hatate were confirmed as Celtic players before 2022 had even begun, and their arrivals added freshness to the Celtic squad when Scottish football emerged from cold storage on January 17. Hatate, in particular, looks a wise investment, a cultured box-to-box midfielder who has taken to life in Glasgow impeccably well. He is already a fans' favourite. Maeda scored on his debut and his pacey, energetic style looks like it will enhance Celtic's forward line. Ideguchi has had little time to sign, and has since been injured, so the jury is out on him. He at least swells the ranks in midfield.In addition to that trio, Celtic have also brought in Matt O'Riley, a composed midfielder from MK Dons, and young Irish striker Johnny Kenny. O'Riley impressed on his debut last week against Hearts, while Kenny is one for the future, earmarked for the reserve team at this moment in time.Celtic's squad, as a result of this business, is well-stocked. So is their treatment room, but that's why Postecoglou has decided to play a numbers game. He wants to make sure his squad are not found wanting in (a) the chase for the cinch Premiership title, (b) the Scottish Cup and (c) the Europa Conference League. A deep run in Europe is not beyond them.It also means that Celtic have been able to solely focus on tomorrow night's huge clash against Rangers. A win at Parkhead will move them above their bitter rivals for the first time this season and seize the initiative in an already captivating title race. There have been no last-minute "panic" buys, no glaring holes to plug in the team, no distractions ahead of the biggest game of the season.None of this guarantees success, but considering where Celtic were this time last year, floundering abjectly under Neil Lennon, with a group of players crippled by poor form and the pressure of ten-in-a-row, then Celtic fans can go into February with genuine optimism. After such a catastrophic 2020/21 season – which threatened to set the club back years – Celtic have more than steadied their ship under the likeable Australian coach.And while it remains to be seen whether Aaron Ramsey plays against Celtic and becomes a key player in Rangers' defence of their crown, Celtic can have peace of mind that they gave themselves the best possible chance of success by doing their business diligently in January. Often those who are best prepared, after all, reap the benefits further down the line.

Celtic transfers: Quiet sense of satisfaction as Rangers and the rest moved late