Taking a break from VAR for a minute, Brendan Rodgers has shared why he’s really excited about Celtic’s summer transfer plans.
The Celtic manager has been embroiled in VAR controversy this week but took a break from that to share what the club are looking to do in the upcoming transfer window.
Rodgers said [Daily Record], “I’m really excited about next season, having now had a look at this group. I’ve seen players who were out for a while and I want to develop this squad.
“There’s a lot of work going on on that front. Is it a chance to put my stamp on it? Yeah, because I think we lost influential players (last summer) who make the game look different.
“Those players weren’t just good footballers but they were personalities. It’s hard when you lose that personality from the team.
“The guys have been great this season with everything that’s been thrown at them. But it’s about seeing what it needs, how it can develop and grow.
“I had to give guys who were here an opportunity because they’d just come off the back of a Treble-winning season. But I also know because of my experience in football – especially at clubs like Celtic – that there’s a revolving door every three or four years.
“Even if you’re a winning team you have to fire up the squad again. That’s something we’ll look at doing in the summer.”
Where Celtic must strengthen this summer window
It is no secret that Celtic need to strengthen in the summer window. In fact, they had to in January in certain key areas but failed to get the desired quality Brendan Rodgers is looking for.
Obviously, the goalkeeping position must be the priority. Now that Joe Hart is retiring at the end of the season, Celtic simply cannot go into the new one with Benjamin Siegrist and Scott Bain as their first-choice selections.
The fact that neither of them has been used to any degree in the past three seasons tells you all you need to know.
Alexandro Bernabei’s departure means the left-back position is also a key area that needs to be addressed.
The Argentine’s Celtic career appears to be over now that he has left on loan and Rodgers must be looking at bringing in someone not as cover for Greg Taylor, but to challenge him.
When Adam Idah returns to Norwich, Rodgers needs to decide if he is going to make the Irishman’s move to Celtic permanent or look at other targets.
Going into next season with just Kyogo Furuhashi and Hyeongyu Oh will simply not cut it. As this season has proved.
And we still haven’t even mentioned the lack of quality on the wings. So there is much to do this coming summer.
If Rodgers is excited now, then I, for one, am really looking forward to seeing what the Celtic manager has up his sleeve.