‘You look at’… Chris Sutton makes claim about Ange Postecoglou that Brendan Rodgers should take note of

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Celtic have easily been the most dominant team in the country across the 2020s so far.

Rangers won the Scottish Premiership title in 2021 for the first time in 10 years, but normal service has been resumed since with Celtic winning the last four.

Ange Postecoglou brought the title back to Parkhead in 2022 in his first season in charge before winning a domestic Treble the following campaign.

Celtic’s success at that time was supercharged by Ange’s incredible recruitment, signing gems such as Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda for £1.4m and £1.6m respectively.

Alistair Johnston cost just £3m from CF Montreal, while Cameron Carter-Vickers was an expensive buy at £6m but well worth the cash spent.

• READ MORE: Celtic’s youngest debutants ranked including future Liverpool star and assistant manager

Rodgers still benefitting from Postecoglou’s Celtic recruitment

Brendan Rodgers has now been in charge for almost two seasons and he has benefitted from inheriting a number of Postecoglou’s signings.

Plenty of them like the four named above are still here and Chris Sutton thinks Postecoglou’s recruits remain the best players in the Celtic first-team squad.

The ex-Parkhead forward stresses that isn’t a slight on Rodgers’ recruitment so far, but used it as proof the squad needs freshened up a bit more in the summer with new quality.

“What isn’t up for debate is doing nothing. Celtic cannot rest on their laurels”, Sutton has written in his weekly Daily Record column.

“Rodgers has been saying he is not paying any attention to what’s happening at Rangers this summer but it’s only natural to keep an eye on your rivals.

“And there’s a lot of questions about what will happen at Ibrox. Will the 49ers spend big, who will be manager, you name it.

“What Celtic can’t do is assume Rangers will be as poor next season. They can’t be as bad. You look at the points they’ve dropped to the rest of the teams in Scotland and you have to think that won’t happen again.

“Who knows, it might. But Celtic can’t think that way. They need to be re-energised – and that means with new faces.

“You look at that team from Sunday and the vast majority were signed by Postecoglou. That’s not a slate on any one or on recruitment, it’s just they are the strongest players in the squad.

“But the same guys have been doing it for a number of years and the squad will need freshened up. That’s how you maintain the determination and drive to keep being successful.

“Rodgers knows it too – which is why this window will be box office this summer.”

Postecoglou’s Celtic signings in full

Big Ange was at the helm in Glasgow for two years and spent a total of £49m to turn Celtic back into the powerhouse they were before Rangers won the 2021 league title.

2021/22 transfers in

2022/23 transfers in

His highest spend on one player was an initial £6.4m on Jota from Benfica after a successful loan spell, before he was sold in 2023 for around £25m.

Kyogo was a revelation for the Hoops and cost just £4.5m, while the likes of Liel Abada and Josip Juranovic were bought on the cheap and sold for good profits.