Still, the manager from Northern Ireland stopped short of making definite guarantees, pointing to the Iheanacho situation as a case in point.
The Glasgow side were keen to keep the Nigerian forward after his 12-month deal expired, yet he opted instead to join Bursaspor, a club that has just climbed back into the second division of Turkish football, earlier in the week.
“We thought we had a deal with Iheanacho and it didn’t go,” O’Neill stated. “It was something we thought we had sorted out.”
The club’s chief executive, Michael Nicholson, acknowledged that strengthening the squad has become “difficult” because they are up against free-spending rivals from England’s top two leagues.
According to reports, Bursaspor were in a position to table a more lucrative wage for the 29-year-old, but O’Neill commented: “There are two sides to every particular transfer as there is to every story.
“I thought we had a deal with him at the time, but seemingly that wasn’t the case and so he’s gone to pastures new.”
O’Neill had also been eager to hold on to Saracchi after the Uruguayan left-back spent time on loan from Boca Juniors.
The 28-year-old shared a message on Instagram on Friday, explaining that he and his representative “did absolutely everything within our power to make a return to Glasgow happen”.
However, O’Neill noted: “Saracchi’s done very well at the football club and there’s circumstances which seemingly it was never going to happen.”
The Scottish champions kick off their league campaign at home against Dundee on 3 August.
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