Celtic will be on a break for the next few weeks before beginning pre-season preparations for the 2024/25 campaign.
It seems surreal that the new season is already in the wider public conscience after last weekend’s Scottish Cup final triumph; however, football never stops, and neither does coverage of the Bhoys on 67 Hail Hail.
Come pre-season, Brendan Rodgers will have a chance to evaluate his squad alongside getting valuable minutes into players’ legs ahead of another exciting year under his stewardship.
On the transfer front, movement in both directions is expected. However, there is a core of individuals who are certain to remain at the club, and the Irishman will be keen to have them at full tilt once competitive action commences.
Nicolas Kuhn could come alive for Celtic next season
In the January transfer window, Nicolas Kuhn joined Adam Idah as Celtic’s only two additions in the mid-season market period; however, the German winger endured some early issues at Parkhead, limiting his impact.
The 24-year-old suffered a bout of weight loss and lost strength due to dental surgery, though he made a full recovery to give a flavour of why Rodgers saw fit to pay £3 million for his services.
Per Transfermarkt, the former Germany Under-20 international has featured 18 times for Celtic across all competitions, registering three goals and three assists.
Fotmob also illustrate made a dent in several metrics since joining, creating 18 chances, recording 84 touches in the opposition area and winning 17 tackles on Scottish Premiership duty.
Granted, there is room for improvement in his game, notably his crossing success rate, which stands at 15.6%, though Rodgers has a track record of improving players and wouldn’t have brought Kuhn into the building if he didn’t have the confidence he would deliver.
What Brendan Rodgers said when Nicolas Kuhn came to Celtic
Speaking after his arrival, Rodgers said on Kuhn: “We are delighted to welcome Nicolas to Celtic. We believe he is a dynamic player who has an excellent level of quality and all the attributes to fit well into our style of play.
“He has the profile we are looking for, he has a real attacking intent, a player with great pace and ideas, the ability to create and score goals and a player with a great energy and work ethic.
“He is someone who can play wide on both sides so he brings with him that versatility for us too, and myself and the coaches here really look forward to working with him.”
The Irishman believes in Kuhn, and once pre-season kicks in, having an extended period to work with the former Rapid Vienna star away from the pressure of crunch matches could benefit both parties.
He is contracted to Celtic until the summer of 2029, so expect him to be involved next campaign as the reigning champions seek further silverware.