Celtic reported back for pre-season yesterday and took their first preparatory steps for another exciting campaign.
Frustratingly, there still hasn’t been any movement on the transfer front. Nevertheless, Brendan Rodgers has several internal options to run the rule over while deciding who to trim from his squad this summer.
Naturally, the gap between friendly matches and competitive action getting underway can frustrate fans. Throw in two ongoing international tournaments, and you start to see why there may be a transfer delay.
Apart from that, there is extra motivation for some individuals to show their teeth in pre-season, with Rodgers set to keep a close eye on standouts over the coming weeks.
Celtic and the room for fringe players to show quality
In the cold light of day, Celtic haven’t signed anyone and don’t look to be close on the subject of announcing new arrivals, which has raised more questions than answers in the eyes of some supporters.
Despite the optics, Rodgers does have a history of evaluating his existing options before enacting mass change in his group. Last term, he spoke about the importance of seeing their talent up close rather than only having a fleeting understanding of fringe players and how they work.
He stated in July 2023: “We’ve given lots of young players and opportunity too, but it’s just been nice seeing the players close up, having been watching them from a distance.”
Later, he added: “I always like to get to know the players so I can understand what their motivations and ambitions are. I’ve obviously been watching the team over the last few seasons. And they’ve clearly shown up very, very well. But it’s always nice when you get close up with players and see the other qualities they have.”
The candidates who could star for Celtic in pre-season
Pre-season is a clean slate for everyone, and surprises can occur with the help of some solid showings across friendly matches. At this point last year, nobody expected Liam Scales to become a stalwart in the Celtic defence.
Reading between the lines, Bosun Lawal appears to be the obvious candidate to impress following his loan spell at Fleetwood Town. On the same token, Odin Thiago Holm showed flashes last term; could he force his way into contention?
Maik Nawrocki endured an injury-ridden first year at Celtic despite his arrival heralding mass excitement. There is cause to assume he could be given a second chance if he can steer clear of fitness issues.
I’d expect Nicolas Kuhn to be a regular due to Rodgers’ admiration for his ‘dynamic’ style of play, and he may have an opportunity to make one of the flanks his own in 2024/25, seeing as places in the starting line-up do seem to be up for grabs with no signings forthcoming.
Celtic don’t have time to waste on recruitment, but pre-season could throw up one or two unexpected developments. High-profile matches against DC United, Manchester City and Chelsea in the United States present an opening for players to prove themselves against distinguished opposition.
If they were to follow that advice, with the start of the league season just a week after returning from across the Atlantic, there would be scope for peripheral figures to reverse that trend.