Brendan Rodgers is heading into a key Celtic transfer window but how will his squad look come the end of it?
A neck and neck title race is ongoing with Rangers but Hoops fans will no doubt be keen to see some fresh faces arrive ahead of next term. Recruitment has been lamented and the status of every 42 players listed on the Celtic teams page has been ranked in order of staying, going or loan.
Rodgers has a clear demand for the summer. He said after the January window shut: “I would go with supporters thinking we could maybe be a little bit braver in terms of bringing in another level of player. But that’s up to me to try and fix that over the course of my time here.
“You have to use caution when examining this strategy, as it has shown some degree of success.” Players are brought in at a low cost, and they go on to provide significant revenue for the team.
Since it’s a crucial component of the current game, I intend to strike a balance by allowing us to continue doing that during my tenure here. However, we also aspire to have the guts to throw on the towel and accept a ready-made player.
Which Celtic stars, then, fit into his plans for the upcoming term? We examine the potential results.
1. Joe Hart
Retiring
2. Scott Bain
Keep
3. Benjamin Siegrist
Sell
4. Alistair Johnston
Keep
5. Greg Taylor
Keep
6. Gustaf Lagerbielke
Sell. Swedish defender hasn’t had a look in and not even making squads at this stage. Time to part ways.
7. Liam Scales
Keep
8. Maik Nawrocki
Keep. Polish defender hasn’t been able to establish himself under Rodgers but has impressed when given the chance. We think he’s worth having around.
9. Yuki Kobayashi
Sell. Hasn’t kicked a ball all season. Reports of options back home in Japan and probably what is needed now.
10. Cameron Carter-Vickers
Keep
11. Anthony Ralston
Keep
12. Stephen Welsh
Keep
13. Odin Thiago Holm
Loan. Arrived last summer but struggled for games. Has played 15 minutes since November and has to get playing somewhere.
14. James McCarthy
Sell. Not spotted in first-team plans for a long, long time. Won’t feature next term either so working out how to get his wages off the book likely on agenda.
15. Tomoki Iwata
Keep
16. Paulo Bernardo
No return after loan ends. Has impressed in flashes but not enough to warrant a big fee Benfica may want.
17. Matt O’Riley
Keep. Wanted by Atletico Madrid and scouted by Man Utd since 2022, as per claims. Record transfer could be demanded but Rodgers will want to keep him at all costs
