Brendan Rodgers has reiterated he is really impressed with what he’s seeing behind the scenes from Celtic, as supporters wait on some big signings during the summer transfer window.
The Bhoys have already added Odin Thiago Holm and Marco Tilio to the squad, with a South Korean duo on the brink of being announced as signed, too. However, all four are young and fairly untested when you consider Celtic have ambitions to make a mark in Europe.
Some fans are still expecting a higher calibre of signing, including Chris Sutton, who reckons the club need to get a move on. For Rodgers, there’s no rush and his message today is clear – Celtic are working within a set plan and he’s perfectly happy with it.
The Celtic boss said [Daily Record]: “Yes, there’s money there, but it doesn’t always mean if you spend £9m or £10m you are going to get a top player. There might be someone within your academy or someone at £2m or £3m that can become a £20m or £30m player. My strength is development and I’ve working closely with the people here to improve the squad.
“The club is in a great position. But there is a model here. Coming in this second time I’m very clear of where that is at. It’s what I’m looking forward to. I can bring players in, and you want players who are first-team ready. But it’s seeing what the needs of the squad are and then getting the best player possible within that model.
“It was only fair to assess the squad first. Coming in there were already positions I felt we could improve on. But we’re in a period of assessment right now. What we have done is try to plan for the future with some of the signings that have come in.
“Ones that could play now but will be really valuable going forward. It’s too late when the future comes, but that’s one of the things I’ve been really impressed with, this process of planning behind the scenes from Michael Nicholson and Mark Lawwell. There’s a really good process in place and the club is in a really good place.”
It’s clear that Rodgers understands the difference between the signings that have been made to date and the ones that are still needed. Fans don’t need to worry about that. He’s intent on getting it right and, sometimes, that takes time.
He’s had two weeks to work close up with the squad, get to know them and make decisions. He’s already stated there have been honest conversations with some about their futures. The next step is pursuing the talent he feels he needs in the right positions. I’m positive that will come over the next few weeks now.
In other news, Celtic touch down in Japan and there’s a familiar green-and-white sight.
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