Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers made the Bhoys’ summer transfer intentions visible yesterday in his pre-match press conference ahead of his side travelling to face Kilmarnock.
The Irishman could see the Hoops crowned Scottish Premiership champions if they earn a point at Rugby Park; regardless, once the campaign concludes, he will turn his attention to recruitment.
Rodgers has already confirmed plans to boost his Celtic squad with 2024/25 on the horizon are ‘well underway’ at Parkhead, which is likely to have fans salivating over potential arrivals.
Last year, fans were eager to see a widening of the financial parameters to bring players to Glasgow’s east end in conjunction with Rodgers’s return.
However, the end result yielded a mixed reception. This time around, it remains to be seen where value for money can be found from a Celtic standpoint.
Timing was also an issue flagged by supporters hoping to see new additions integrated early in pre-season, something the manager has now provided an intriguing update on in his latest media brief.
Brendan Rodgers answers if Celtic will move swiftly in the market
When pressed on whether Celtic would add numbers in swift fashion this summer, Rodgers replied [Celtic FC]: “I think every coach and manager would want to be able to do that. There’s definitely certain positions we would want to have finalised sooner rather than later for sure. Ideally if we can do that, it’d be great.
“What’s really important for us this summer is getting the level of quality that I want into the squad. That will be absolutely key for the growth of this team. I think the guys this season have been absolutely fantastic but next season we need more depth in the squad.
“I go back a little bit to my past here… I was making eight changes going away to Ross County and I was bringing into that team, Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Christie… these guys have shown that they are Premier League quality.
“I remember taking a team to our training camp in Dubai. This was a proper game; the second team beat the starters 5-0, and that gave me great food for thought when I came back for the second part of the season. It was a proper football game.
“That told me the depth that is required, and I think that’s something that is definitely required here. We probably lost a bit of that in the summer, but there’s no doubt we will need to restructure that going forward. As I said, we have some fantastic players here, and we want to add to that.”
Celtic have a big summer ahead to strengthen the ranks
It is common knowledge by now that Rodgers wasn’t entirely happy with the business conducted over the two windows he has been in post; however, he has instilled a winning mentality in his squad that will serve them well heading into next season.
Celtic cannot make the same mistakes this summer, and the club need to find a happy medium between paying a premium when required and taking a chance on rough diamonds.
Putting up a fight in continental competition isn’t getting any easier amid the financial reality of pitting their wits against the best in Europe on a fraction of the budget they stockpile.
Looking forward, there is set to be plenty of intrigue in the coming months regarding where the reigning Scottish Premiership champions opt to do their shopping.
