‘I’m concerned’ – Brendan Rodgers told Celtic trio just the ‘same’ and one hero ‘passes it sideways’

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Celtic are improving and looking to enhance many areas of their team during the summer transfer window.

A lot of the talk is around the attackers and the defenders, but there is less noise around the midfielders, given the depth Brendan Rodgers has to choose from.

Last season, as Celtic won the double, the trio who were regulars in the middle of the park were captain Callum McGregor, the maestro Reo Hatate and club-record transfer Arne Engels.

But the Celtic trio have just received a critique they simply might not like.

• READ MORE: Brendan Rodgers names the one area he thought Celtic ‘lacked’ in despite ‘outstanding’ Sporting win

Celtic’s midfield of Callum McGregor, Reo Hatate and Arne Engels criticised

It has been several years now since the no-nonsense legend Scott Brown left for Aberdeen, before retiring and now being the manager of Ayr United.

But Frank McAvennie thinks Celtic need a player of Brown’s defensive bite, as he claimed that McGregor wants to ‘pass it sideways’ and ‘keep the ball.’

Speaking on his Let Me Be Frank Podcast, McAvennie expressed his concern about Rodgers’ midfield, including how all three players are just the ‘same.’

“I am a wee bit concerned we have three of the same players,” said McAvennie. “Callum McGregor wants to pass it sideways, and keep the ball and all that. It’s great.

“We have got Engels and we have got Hatate. We haven’t got a number six. We need somebody who can sit in the midfield. When we lose the ball, we are getting caught a wee bit.

“I just think, with Scott Brown, Neil Lennon, and Roy Aitken, who I played with. We have had all these players in midfield, and we haven’t had anybody for a long time since Scott went out.”

Champions League warning amid the need for a defensive midfielder

Yes, now and again, McGregor could do with some help on the domestic stage, in terms of being rotated and rested.

But in truth, Celtic have dominated the domestic scene, and that isn’t where the problem lies.

As McAvennie pointed out, that defensive bite is needed for European matches, especially with the Champions League being revamped, and the change suiting Celtic.

“I think the midfield is, for me, we keep hearing about wingers, but I think we need somebody who is going to stop the play, especially in Europe,” added McAvennie.

“When those three boys go forward and do their thing. They lose the ball, and we are caught.”