Big hitters start to return to Celtic training

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Brendan Rodgers increasingly has stronger options in pre-season as first-team regulars start to filter back into Celtic training at Lennoxtown.

It’s been a youthful, fringe group at the training centre for the most part over the last two weeks after many were given extra time off due to international duty and subsequent holidays.

Rodgers used 23 players against Ayr United in the first friendly of the summer last Friday night, with the majority of them coming from the club’s youth ranks.

We’re now beginning to see more familiar faces in group training at Lennoxtown, including Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, Luis Palma and Matt O’Riley.

It’s likely to be another alternative line-up for the match against Queen’s Park this week but it’s good to see the players getting back to work ahead of the upcoming USA tour.

Plenty more still to return to Celtic

The Scotland quartet of Callum McGregor, Greg Taylor, James Forrest and Anthony Ralston are yet to make it back after their Euro 2024 exploits.

Cameron Carter-Vickers will be further delayed still, leaving the Copa America tournament later than his European teammates.

Another defender, meanwhile, could miss the vast majority of pre-season. Alistair Johnston isn’t due to play his final Copa America match until this weekend and then will have his own holiday break before meeting back up with the Bhoys.

Celtic fans want new faces to join the fray

You’d expect a new face or two in the door before that trip to America. Fans are still waiting forYe the club to make their first summer signings.

There are still key deficiencies in the team. There’s no recognised number one goalkeeper and the lack of options at left-back is concerning ahead of a long, arduous season.

Yes, there are almost two months until the end of the transfer window but supporters had been hoping for a productive and pro-active summer. It’s been even more of a frustrating wait than the 2023 window so far. It’s on the board to deliver on Rodgers’ vision of adding more quality to this group.