Brendan Rodgers’ latest message on transfers couldn’t be clearer and Celtic must deliver

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Brendan Rodgers has again been emphasising the need for ‘quality’ in his Celtic squad if the team are to progress in the way he wants them to.

Much has been made of the way Celtic went about their business in the summer transfer window. Chris Sutton lambasted the lack of preparation in a column today while journalist Stephen McGowan labelled the approach “not fit for purpose” when it comes to the UEFA Champions League.

Rodgers has consistently been on the same page as the Celtic board throughout his return to the club. He isn’t looking to go to war with anyone in the Bhoys hierarchy.

At the same time, what he’s saying about his squad in public paints a picture that he wants quality players to arrive from the transfer market. In a Sky Sports interview on Friday, Rodgers really couldn’t have made it clearer that’s what he is seeking.

Brendan Rodgers emphasises what is needed at Celtic

Asked if his group needs an “injection of quality” if Celtic want to move forward in Europe, the Bhoys boss replied: “There’s absolutely no doubt. It’s what I’ve said all along. You need to have quality in your squad and in particular at the very highest level. That’s what wins you games and makes the difference for you.

“The players here deserve a huge amount of credit in terms of how they performed in the games. It was a tough one the other night. But, of course, in order to progress in it, it is about quality and that’s the reality at this level.”

Celtic’s pursuit of development players during the summer transfer window may well pay off over time, but the conclusion for many is that it has held the Bhoys back this season.

Rodgers said last week that the squad now has enough of these development players and that they are now pursuing “genuine quality” in upcoming windows. But it’s on the Celtic board and the recruitment staff to deliver that.

We don’t want to be talking in 12 months about the manager seeking better players than the ones who arrived.

In other news, Marco Tilio’s Celtic situation is about to come under sharp scrutiny.