Andy Walker has said that Celtic need an undisputed number one to be signed ahead of Sam Johnstone and Viljami Sinisalo in the summer.

Both goalkeepers have been given runs in the team so far this season, with opinions split on who is the more suitable option to be Martin O’Neill’s first-choice.

With the Celtic boss and his staff so torn, chopping and changing has indicated that both are in direct competition. O’Neill himself has said that he sees no issue with this.

But not everyone agrees. For Walker — who believes that the ‘third-choice’ Johnstone isn’t as good as Sinisalo — the answer is to dip into the market again in January in search of an ‘undisputed’ number-one.

Sam Johnstone on Celtic’s goalkeeping situation: ‘You should know who your goalkeeper is’

Discussing the goalkeeping department on the Go Radio Football Show, Walker said: “I think the signing of a recognised number one should’ve been done in the summer, but that didn’t happen.

“If you’re asking me, I think Sinisalo is better than Johnstone. As a defender, you should know every week who your goalkeeper is, because he’s the undisputed number one. I think with left-backs, centre-backs, your right-back or whether you’re playing three-at-the-back, you need to have a relationship with your goalkeeper.

“You need to have that understanding that you develop over knowing what he’s good at, knowing what he likes, knowing the type of passbacks, knowing the type of cross ball that he might come for or not. You need a relationship with your goalkeeper.”

He continued: “I think the fact that Johnstone is getting maybe more opportunities than most maybe tells you that the manager and coaching staff are not one hundred percent sold on Sinisalo being the undisputed number one.

“That’s why I thought it was a surprise to go get a goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone, who has more or less been a third-choice goalkeeper at so many clubs he’s been at.

“But the opportunity is there to be the undisputed number one. I think they should be looking to strengthen the goalkeeping department in the January window.”