Brendan Rodgers brought back Kieran Tierney from Arsenal in the summer in the most high profile of signings, along with new boys like Sebastian Tounekti, Benjamin Nygren, Kelechi Iheanacho, Marcelo Saracchi and Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Nygren and Tounekti have arguably had the biggest impacts but Sutton hasn’t been sure on the former’s all-round play and the latter’s consistency. He has questions around Iheanacho’s mobility as a lone striker.
Sharing the left-back role with Tierney has been Saracchi, who the former Parkhead striker has labelled ‘fine’. But Balikwisha hasn’t impressed him so far.
Assessing the summer additions in the Daily Record, Sutton said: “Celtic’s much-talked about mistakes in the last baffling recruitment effort which will see a raft of those signed not actually being involved at Dundee tomorrow. Which says it all.
“Those who joined and will be at Dens Park have sporadically caught the eye. Sebastian Tounekti dazzled in his first couple of games, but we don’t know if he has consistency.
“Benjamin Nygren has popped up with some goals, but I wouldn’t judge him as a central midfielder and I’m yet to be convinced overall as yet. Kelechi Iheanacho hasn’t seemed mobile enough in the central striker role, though that may come.
“Mareclo Saracchi looks fine, Michel-Ange Balikwisha not so much. His assist last time out against Motherwell might have boosted him, but then again, maybe not. That’s the whole point. We just don’t know.
“Hand on heart, with the visuals so far, it’s fair to say these guys aren’t at the level of players in recent seasons whose roles they are trying to fill. It may come, but I’m hoping it will come rather than being convinced at this precise moment.”
On Tierney, he added: “Rodgers needs to find a way to start getting the best out of Kieran Tierney. I can’t put my finger on why, but he’s not been at it since returning from Arsenal and this situation of not finishing games is an issue.”
For those reasons, he reckons Celtic are going to have to rely on six tried and tested players to get them through the next few months. However, he admits two of them have been “off it.”
“Given the situation, I feel it’s going to fall onto the tried and tested from the recent past,” said Sutton. “Callum McGregor, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, Liam Scales, Reo Hatate, Alistair Johnston. Boys who have been over the course.
“I don’t know what has happened to Hatate this season, but he’s miles off it.
“When he first signed, I thought he’d be the one who would head to England for the biggest money. It’s not come to pass. Maybe that’s part of the problem, he’s been there for too long. But none of it matters because, like I say, it’s reset time.
“For Hatate, read Maeda. It doesn’t matter what could and should have occurred as regards moves. You know you are there until January at least and you are needed to raise your standards to the levels of which you have proved already that you are capable of.”