Rodgers demands Celtic sign ‘highest level of player’

Yesterday evening, Celtic faced another stern European test in pre season, this time suffering a 5–1 defeat to Ajax in the Como Cup. With the Scottish Premiership opener against St Mirren just a week away, Brendan Rodgers named a starting lineup which featured majority of Celtic’s strongest side.

However, initially named on the bench, new Celtic recruit Yamada’s debut was delayed after the club realised his international clearance had NOT yet been finalised, though he could feature in the Como Cup third-place shootout against Al Ahli tomorrow night.

Speaking post-match about the confusion, Rodgers said via Daily Record: “We were told late on he wasn’t registered. He couldn’t play in the game. It was a UEFA game. I think we thought it would be through. So, he obviously came with us and travelled. But then, later on, an hour before the game, we were told he wasn’t.

“We hope he’ll be okay for Saturday (to play). Hopefully for the player. So, let’s see where that goes tomorrow.”

Yang Hyun-jun scored Celtic’s equaliser against the Dutch giants, and Rodgers made it clear the winger is indispensable given the squad’s lack of options out wide.

Meanwhile, the Celtic boss gave a fascinating insight into how the Scottish champions are operating in the transfer window.

He said: “How it mostly works at most clubs, is that you have a recruitment and analytical team that scour your markets to find the players that are suitable within your price range and really importantly, have quality.

“They then get presented to you and then it’s whether that list, whether the players I think are right for us. If they’re not, then we’ve got to keep looking. If they are, then we’ve got to try and see if we can get the deal to get them in. And that’s obviously the club who will then do that.”

Rodgers added: “But listen, Celtic, there are no secrets in it. There are no secrets. They will look to get the best deal for the club and get the best players in possible.

“My job is to coach and demand we get the highest level player we can, if we want to keep developing.”

Conor Spence

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Thank you to everyone who has already pre-ordered the late David Potter’s last ever Celtic book, Celtic in the Eighties, which will be published on the fifth day of September by Celtic Star Books. The link to pre-order your copy is below…