The clock is ticking on the transfer window and, more than a week after bringing Paulo Bernardo back to the club, Celtic have yet to make fresh outfield additions to the squad.
The closest sniff of a deal at this stage involves Adam Idah – another player who doesn’t improve on the options Brendan Rodgers had available to him at the end of last season.
Indeed, it looks more likely at this stage we see Matt O’Riley leave the club before any new faces arrive in Glasgow.
Celtic continue to struggle to get the needed business done. And that’s despite manager Brendan Rodgers consistently making clear he wants a stronger outfit than what he had last term.
In his latest media conference, Rodgers was asked about the club’s cash reserves and the investment needed to bring the squad up to scratch for the UEFA Champions League.
Brendan Rodgers on Celtic transfers
As always, he didn’t hold back with his view that the squad has clear deficiencies that need to be addressed.
The Celtic manager said [Celtic FC]: “I’ve said it before. Recruitment is vital for success on the football pitch. Bringing in the players that allow you to elevate the game. Especially when you go up the levels in the Champions League. The recruitment of players is crucial.
“Especially in the big clubs, if you don’t get it right then you have very little chance to put it right. If you don’t bring in a player that fits your style and is suitable for the football that you want to play – to improve that player when there’s very little training time is very difficult.
“That’s why you want to get in not just a player but the right player who can elevate the team’s game and that he’s a sufficient level that will allow you to improve. That’s absolutely key.
“I’m hoping, I’m looking at by the end of the window, that is when you can judge. I know that supporters want to see that team on the pitch, that’s absolutely right. As coaches and managers, we want the players in as quickly as we can to get them integrated into the squad.
“But at the end of it, if we can get to the end of August and have a stronger squad than what we finished with last season, it will still be a successful window for us.
“To have success on the football pitch, you need to recruit, and you need to recruit the best possible players you can, if you want to achieve in European football.”
The pressure is on Celtic to produce what is needed
In another answer, he referenced ‘clear gaps’ in the squad that need to be addressed. It doesn’t take a UEFA Pro License to work out what those are.
There is no real competition or back-up for Greg Taylor at left-back, while Kyogo Furuhashi remains the only recognised striker.
If you consider that an upgrade in central defence is desirable and a potential replacement for Matt O’Riley should be ready to go, the recruitment staff don’t have an easy job ahead of them.
Everyone knows it isn’t easy. But the pressure is on regardless for Celtic to deliver the players that Rodgers clearly wants.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
