Brendan Rodgers is pretty clear on his stance, and that’s wanting more from Celtic’s summer transfer window.
You sense this is going to be a huge, huge month for Celtic, and it’s going to set the mood and tone for the rest of the campaign because a lot is on the line.
Not only will the 2025 summer transfer window slam shut on September 1, but Rodgers would have gone through the Champions League qualifiers, as well as competing in the first Glasgow derby of the season.
The Celtic Park faithful are seemingly on the side of the manager; they want the powers that be to spend and be more ambitious in the market.
But Charlie Mulgrew brought the argument from the perspective of the board, and Rodgers doesn’t have much to argue about.
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Brendan Rodgers told about the money sitting on Celtic’s bench
This can’t be a one-way street, and there needs to be balance to the argument, as Mulgrew told Go Radio that the board will be pointing to the Celtic bench against St Mirren over the weekend.
The Hoops secured a 1-0 victory, but Rodgers had big-money 2024 summer signings Auston Trusty and Arne Engels on the bench, whilst someone like Paulo Bernardo didn’t get on the pitch.
When Mulgrew was told by a Celtic fan that the board needs to ‘back’ and ‘listen’ to Rodgers, he put forward that they will argue ‘a lot of money’ is on the bench, and money has been spent in general, as brutal as it sounds.
“I understand what you are saying, but you have two players who cost £17 million sitting on the bench (against St Mirren),” said Mulgrew. “That’s £17 million spent on two players sitting on the bench. That’s a lot of money sitting on the bench.
“From a Celtic board point of view, you are looking at it and saying, ‘right, we spent money on Engels. We spent money on Trusty. There was money spent there.’
“And you are thinking, ‘that money doesn’t guarantee you good players that are going to play in your starting XI. You need to be sure if you are going to spend that money.’ It’s a tough one.
“I can understand the hesitancy, but I can understand your point of view (from a Celtic fan). You want players in. You want to see exciting players at the club. But there has been money spent before.”
Why Arne Engels didn’t start against St Mirren is concerning
Engels is Celtic’s club-record transfer, and he had a steady debut campaign in Glasgow, with quite a number of people, fans and the media not convinced by what they saw.
But, at the end of the day, he is 21 and has a lot to learn, but it’s not helped by the fact that he was benched for the opening game of the new season.
What is more worrying is the reason behind it.
“Most of the time, Celtic play against a 11-man wall, and low-blocks, as summer signing Benjamin Nygren’s ability to play in small pockets compared to Engels was a reason why he started, as Rodgers alluded to on Sky Sports.
“Throughout the season, we get many games over the course of the season, and this is a game where St Mirren will play low,” added Rodgers.
“Like I said, I need players that really can get turned in that midfield section. Arne has been great for us. He is really going to push on, I believe, again this season, so a very young player who adapted well last season.
“In the Champions League games, he was excellent. When the space is there, he can move. He will get better and better in those tighter spaces.”
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