Brendan Rodgers and Peter Lawwell have certainly had their relationship questioned, but the Hoops manager is at ease with the transfer process at Celtic.
Opening up in Record Sport, Rodgers has been outlining what it is his Chief Exec truly does in the process of bringing in a player.
Celtic have so far failed to bring in a right-back this month. That’s despite the fact a host of different names have been linked to Parkhead over the last month too.
Their failure to yet bag one has opened the door for criticism to Lawwell once again. But Rodgers has moved to defend his colleague, and instead went out of his way to explain the role he plays in negotiations.
“I don’t know money. I’ve got a little bit but I don’t know much about it! There are greater experts than me on that.
“You find the player and, whether fair or not, I’m not saying then it goes to Peter and he doesn’t do it because that’s not really the case. Sometimes it changes from an agent’s perspective or a club’s perspective.
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“You’ve maybe agreed something initially and then it changes. It’s a whole, difficult, complex dynamic. But it’s about trying to find the players you can bring in.”
Rodgers interestingly backing Lawwell
Many have perceived the Celtic manager to have had digs at Lawwell in the past. Opening up on frustrations about transfer recruitment in the past have left many pointing in the board’s direction – particularly Lawwell.
But Rodgers is clearly looking to back his main man here.
It’s interesting to hear that Rodgers takes no part in negotiations. Effectively, the Hoops manager just puts suggestions to Lawwell that he hopes can be done. Whether it can be or not is then down to the negotiations between Lawwell, the club, the agent, and the player.
To be fair to the Celtic supremo, it’s not an easy job. As Rodgers mentioned, agents and clubs can very easily move the goalposts in the middle of negotiations. Deals that look likely to be done can always have a hitch in them.
But it’s good that Rodgers has provided fans with some proper clarity over both he and Lawwell’s roles in the transfer market.