Peter Grant has urged the Celtic board to fully back Brendan Rodgers in the summer transfer window, believing there’s absolutely no doubt that the Bhoys boss will have more power on signings.
Rodgers was obviously a big part of the recruitment process last summer and in January. He ultimately signed off the players who came into the club.
However, Rodgers also publicly called for a better quality of talent arriving at Celtic Park, suggesting that the club didn’t get the balance right on signing players for the future and signing players to improve his first team.
After the departure of head of recruitment Mark Lawwell and scout Joe Dudgeon, Grant reckons Rodgers will have more control than ever at the club in the upcoming window.
He says the board have to show strong backing to their manager, especially with another league title triumph looking likely.
Peter Grant on Celtic’s summer transfer window
Grant told BBC Radio Scotland: “Absolutely [they do]. Now he’s in a very, very strong position. He’ll make the final decision now when the players come in the door. There’s no getting away from that. If Brendan doesn’t want a player, they won’t be in the door. It doesn’t matter what anyone else says. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.
“He’s gotten over that first hurdle after coming back and getting the criticism. There have already been a few changes at the club on the recruitment side of it. That tells me enough that Brendan has got to be the man now. And he will have to take responsibility.
“Brendan will know the finances and what he will be able to spend on players. There’s no doubt he will have the final say on it. If he doesn’t have the final say on it I could see Brendan walking again, not for another club, but similar to what Wim Jansen done many years ago after winning a league.”
Everyone at Celtic will rightly take credit for a league title win over the next week. That includes the board. But this isn’t a time to be standing still.
The Celtic squad needs to be worked on – a new goalkeeper, new defenders and more are all expected to arrive in Glasgow before the end of August.
Yes, they are unlikely to be big-money players in their prime at 27 and 28. Nobody is expecting that. Celtic will always look for value and have the future in mind.
But that balance Rodgers wants must be struck. A bit of ambition is needed, especially as Celtic look towards that expanded Champions League.
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