While Celtic’s Premier Sports Cup clash with Falkirk on Friday evening promises to be an entertaining affair, it’s conceivable that the main talking point of the night will come before kick-off.
In recent weeks, Brendan Rodgers has been diplomatic in his tone yet clear in his messaging of what he feels is required to improve the squad in this transfer window. Put succinctly, he needs quality not quantity.
With the deadline for signing players for the Champions League play-off arriving on Thursday, the Northern Irishman’s round of pre-match interviews the following day may be enlightening.
Notwithstanding the fact that he could yet add two wildcards prior to next week’s home leg against either Kairat Almaty or Slovan Bratislava, his paymasters will have had adequate time to deliver on his requirements.
If Rodgers is still shrugging his shoulders in response to reporters’ enquiries about a lack of incoming activity come the end of the week, then, it will feel significant not only in terms of the club’s chances of progressing to the group stage but also in relation to his future at the club.
Out of contract next summer, he’s stated that he’s happy in Glasgow yet has no interest in simply sticking around and ‘maintaining’ something. That fork in the road could be arrived at quickly.
Rodgers has until Thursday’s deadline to add to his squad for their Champions League play-off
Rodgers has insisted misfiring striker Idah would benefit from having competition up front
Reo Hatate was the Celtic hero against Aberdeen at Pittodrie with a wonder goal to make it 2-0
While the summer transfer window doesn’t close until September 1 and Celtic do have a habit of doing their business late, there’s been something downright peculiar about the lack of activity to date.
The fact that last season’s Premiership champions would be required to qualify this season has been known since April 2024, when Scotland’s co-efficient dropped out of UEFA’s top 10.
The recalibration of the Champions League means there’s £40m on the line here. Sides dropping into the Europa League will earn an average of around £10m. It’s a colossal difference. But every lottery winner must first buy a ticket.
At last check, in the financial results for the six months to December 31, Celtic had £65.4m in the bank. That included the ‘deferral of UEFA payments’, with the team also having a further four European matches to play in the New Year.
Come January, £10m was raised through Kyogo Furuhashi’s sale to Rennes.
This summer, £16.5m was brought in from Nicolas Kuhn’s move to Como. The kitty was further topped up by recouping money on the sales of Gustaf Lagerbielke and Kwon Hyeok-kyo.
To date, though, only a fraction of this pile of cash has been reinvested. Kieran Tierney returned to Arsenal on big wages but for no transfer fee. Benjamin Nygren cost £2m from Nordsjaelland. Shin Yamada was £1.5m from Kawasaki Frontale.
Fulham will get a development fee for Callum Osmand. Hayato Inamura came in from Albirex Niigata for £250,000. Jahmai Simpson-Pusey is on loan from Manchester City. None of those three were in the match day squad for Aberdeen.
It’s not as if Rodgers’ assessment of the squad’s limitations is that of a man going out on a limb.
Not only did Furuhashi scored 85 goals in three-and-a-half years in Glasgo, his game-intelligence benefitted those around him. He left for France on January 22 and — in Rodgers eyes — has still not been adequately replaced.
Kuhn’s form dipped in the second half of last season yet he was unplayable before Christmas. His departure takes 21 goals out of the team.
At Pittodrie, Celtic’s wide options were James Forrest — now aged 34 — and Daizen Maeda, who also happens to be the side’s most productive centre-forward. Hyun-jun Yang didn’t leave the bench.
Idah once again toiled up front and supporters are beginning to run out of patience with him
While the side’s title defence has started with victories and two clean sheets against St Mirren and Aberdeen, they’re unquestionably weaker in the forward area than a year ago.
Adam Idah just didn’t look like getting off the mark in the Granite City. Rodgers believes the acquisition of another striker would help the man from Cork. He might well be right.
But what then was the point in bringing Yamada on board and why was Johnny Kenny handed a contract extension through to 2029 last week?
Yamada, who got the last 23 minutes on Sunday, is 25 years old. Kenny is 22, has been at Celtic for three years and gained considerable European experience while on loan at Shamrock Rovers.
Neither can be deemed ‘ones for the future’. If they aren’t capable of pushing/helping Idah now, then they simply shouldn’t be there.
The manager seems to like aspects of what he sees in both players. Just not enough to feel they’re the answers right now. It just doesn’t sound like everyone behind the scenes is on the same page.
Shin Yamada came off the bench for the final 25 minutes as he looks to catch Rodgers’ eye
The current imbalance of the squad is summed up by the logjam in central midfield.
Rodgers presently has six players vying for three positions, although when Callum McGregor’s status is taken into account it’s more like five fighting it out for two spots.
At the weekend, Rodgers started his with skipper playing behind Reo Hatate and Benjamin Nygren, effectively a number six and two eights.
As against St Mirren, Luke McCowan and Arne Engels each got the final 12 minutes, but there was again no game time for Paulo Bernardo. The Portuguese is in danger of becoming the odd man out.
Nygren justified his selection with a goal and an assist for Hatate. The Swede played centrally and on the flank for Nordsjaelland last season — contributing 15 goals — and that versatility could kill two birds with one stone for his manager.
‘I didn’t come here to not play,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘That’s my mentality. There is competition, but that is part of football, that’s how it is in big clubs.
Nygren’s first goal for the club was welcome and he is a versatile addition to Rodgers’ squad
‘It would be weird if there were only 11 good players in such a big team as Celtic. I think we have 25 or 30 good players, but only 11 can start the game. It’s a very long season.
‘In terms of my position, I think it’s preferable where I started the game on Sunday. But I’m a player that has played a lot of positions. For me, I don’t think too much of the positions. It’s football. You need football intelligence.’
Nygren already looks to be a shrewd investment for a comparatively small fee. All the early signs are that Kieran Tierney’s great Celtic return will be a huge success.
Despite a perfect start to the league campaign, the squad still evidently needs strengthened if it’s to stand a chance of surpassing the feat of reaching the play-off for the last 16 after finishing in 21st place last season.
If it doesn’t materialise before Thursday, the big-money tie against either the Kazakhs or the Slovaks will feel like an accident waiting to happen.
