Brendan Rodgers insists Celtic’s recruitment strategy has to improve as he looks to strengthen the squad in the final week of the transfer window.
Before Sunday’s 3-0 William Hill Premiership win at St Mirren, the Hoops boss revealed that he expects midfielder Matt O’Riley to complete his move to Brighton in the coming days in a transfer reportedly worth at least £25million to the Parkhead club.
After the convincing victory, and ahead of the transfer window closing next Friday, Rodgers was asked about recruitment at the cash-rich Scottish champions, who have signed goalkeepers Kasper Schmeichel and Viljami Sinisalo this summer while striker Adam Idah and midfielder Paulo Bernardo have returned following loan spells.
Rodgers, who hopes at least some of the O’Riley transfer fee will be used to strengthen the squad, believes the Celtic board owes it to the supporters to build on current success.
He said: “There are a number of things I won’t go into here. But it’s definitely something, having come back in and gone through three windows now, we have to put right as a football club.
“We shouldn’t have been getting into this last week in the position we’re in. That’s the reality. However, that’s something for us for after this window.
“As I said, we’ll get the players in that we want. We don’t need to manufacture our own stress when there’s no need.
“It’s a very important week for us. In terms of the context of next week [Rangers game], we’re in a really, really good place. But over the context of the season, it’s really important for us.
“We want to develop, we want to improve. We can’t be happy just to make our money and build our pot because the bottom line is on the pitch. That’s the bottom line.
“The supporters pay the money. I look back to the Covid times, the Celtic supporters sold the stadium out with season tickets and they weren’t allowed in it. So we have the duty to put the best team on the pitch.
“That’s what we’ll do and look to do.
“If we can do it by Friday, strengthen the squad, we’ll be in a really, really good place. But we want to strengthen and have that depth.
“It’s taken a lot longer than I would have liked as the football manager. That’s my brutally honest answer on it. But I will repeat this, if we get them in, then there’s still a long season ahead. So it’s important that we do get that. And I have belief that we will do.”
O’Riley joined Celtic from MK Dons in January 2022 for a reported fee of £1.5m and Rodgers said: “As a coach who’s coached many players, he did everything he can to be the best player that he can be.
“And his behaviour, his decency all the way through pre-season was absolutely a joy to see. From a young player who’s got the riches of the Premier League in sight, he never lost his focus for Celtic.
“And when you work with a player like that, you want them to succeed. Celtic won’t be the end game for some of these players, but it’s going to give them so much. And he leaves here now a winner, a better footballer and ready to play for any team in the world.
“When you play for Celtic, and the pressure, and you become a winner, he can go on and play for most teams in the world now.
“His behaviour was second to none. He’s a good guy and I hope he does well.”
Buddies boss Stephen Robinson had no complaints about the result, which saw goals from Reo Hatate and Alistair Johnston add to Callum McGregor’s third-minute opener for Celtic.
He said: “We made it very difficult from the third minute so credit to Celtic.
“What people forget about really good teams is they do the simple things really well.
“They done the simple things really well throughout the game as well as their quality.
“We didn’t match that and if you don’t put the best version of yourself out you are going to lose against Celtic and we were nowhere near our best version today.”
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Ahhh Man City next 5 match !! LOL Big clubs in Europe Is this the start of a NEW RIVALRY? Chelsea fans seeing this.. Rodrygo getting ready to face Manchester City like.. Please stay tuned on Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Just toon it, trollfootball, The Football Arena, AZR Organization)...
We've reached the final straight of this year's winter window, with clubs across the Premier League and Europe scrambling to complete deals before Monday's deadline.Manchester United have had a quiet window so far, but with deals lined up - both incomings and outgoings - things could be about to get busy in the final days.Clubs have until 3 February to complete all dealsArsenal are another team pu...
Manchester City will let Kevin De Bruyne decide his future as he enters the final five months of his contract. De Bruyne to make decision on his Man City future as he comes to the end of his contractDe Bruyne, City's most trophy-winning player, had significant interest from Saudi Arabia last season. Having played 23 times this season, the Belgian is open to extending his stay at the Etihad Stadium...
Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the possibility of signing Chelsea defender Axel Disasi on loan, CaughtOffside has been told.The 26-year-old has found his first-team opportunities limited at Stamford Bridge this season, prompting interest from several Premier League clubs, with the latest being the Blues’ rivals Spurs.Since joining Chelsea from AS Monaco in 2023 for approximately £35 mi...
Aston Villa are interested in signing Marcus Rashford before the transfer deadline, sources have told ESPN.Rashford is available after being frozen out by Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim.It is not yet known whether Rashford would be open to a move to Villa Park, although sources have told ESPN that there is little optimism on all sides that a deal could materialise.A source has told ESPN...
Let's start our Daily Laugh today. Nuno and his 2nd manager of the month award milk Mbappe We're so back Bookies headquarters after the AC Milan red card Man City fans at HT vs Man City fans at FT "What a week, huh?""Gaffer, it's Wednesday." Please stay tuned on Daily Laugh. There will be more fun tomorrow!(Credit: Justtoonit, FootballLaughss)...
Neymar has confirmed he will return to his boyhood club, Santos, as he looks to recover from an ACL injury that has heavily disrupted his career in recent seasons.In an emotive post on Instagram, Neymar said that re-joining the Sao Paulo-based side that he left for Barcelona in 2013 was "like going back in time," describing it as the perfect place to regain his form and fitness."Only a club like S...
Aston Villa's Jhon Duran is expected to fly to the Gulf state on Friday to complete a £64m move to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Riyadh.Al-Nassr are interested in signing Mateo KovacicJhon Duran is expected to complete a £64m move to the clubBrighton's Kaoru Mitoma is also a target of the Saudi sideThe Saudi Pro League side also lodged a £54m bid for Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma.Brighton rej...
Tottenham Hotspur have had a €60 million ($62.5m) offer accepted by Bayern Munich on Thursday for their French forward Mathys Tel, sources have told ESPN.Tel, 19, has decided to leave the German side and is attracting a lot of interest from English clubs.Bayern wanted €60m for the France under-21 international and Spurs have become the first team to agree a deal with the Bavarian giant...
Ramos in advanced talks over free transfer to Mexican clubFormer Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos is reportedly in discussions with Mexican club Monterrey regarding a possible transfer.Dorgu to complete €35m Man Utd move as medical scheduledLecce star Patrick Dorgu is reportedly set to fly to England ahead of a medical and a €35 million move to Manchester United.Neymar sends emotional ...
- 1 Kerkez and £83m ace join as Salah signs
- 2 Ashley Cole, wife Sharon, Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy on luxury skiing holiday
- 3 Enzo 'trying to fix romance with childhood sweetheart'
- 4 'exciting' Betis on signing Man Utd flop
- 5 Napoli confirm Garnacho interest
- 6 LaLiga ace Alex Berenguer & model wife ‘have gun pointed at them’
- 7 Kyle Walker’s wife in talks with ITV for HUGE reality show
- 8 Fresh Lauryn Goodman claims rock Kyle Walker’s marriage
- 9 Transfer news LIVE
- 10 Meet Jude Bellingham's new model WAG