6 Celtic transfer musts ranked by necessity as Brendan Rodgers offers multiple clues on what comes next

6 Celtic transfer musts ranked by necessity as Brendan Rodgers offers multiple clues on what comes next

Although the Parkhead manager has kept his options limited,

it is possible to infer from his silence what he hopes to achieve in January.

Celtic supporters will be hopeful that the upcoming transaction is the first of many as a busy January looks to be starting to go well.

The season started off rough, and Brendan Rodgers’ assurances that things will get done quickly and quietly haven’t quite materialised.

Although work is progressing well behind the scenes,

supporters will be pleased to hear that Liam Scales has signed a new deal given his incredible comeback in recent months.

Additionally, it’s likely that the announcement—which is to be expected at any time—will mark the beginning of several much-anticipated deals that fans have been eagerly awaiting.

Scales appears to have been at the top of the list, but Rodgers will be sorting through his priorities for the next month in an attempt to get things back on track and set the stage for what he believes will be another successful era.

Incomings, outgoings, and new contracts are all on the schedule.

He’s given some indications about what he’s searching for and what might happen to current Hoops stars whose futures are still up in the air.

Signing that transforms

Although the January transfer window is infamously difficult to identify strong players for,

Celtic has benefited from it recently.

Fans are expecting another mid-season sensation this month, following in the footsteps of Ange Postecoglou,

who signed Matt O’Riley, Reo Hatate, and Daizen Maeda, among other mid-season smash-hits.

Just the ticket is a source of ambitions in particular,

and there is a need for at least one signing who can stand up to the plate and elevate them.

More Patrick Roberts and less Patryk Klimala will be required,

but Rodgers has a keen eye for a player, and there’s hope he can make a huge catch.

When asked what he wants from the window,

Rodgers’ response of “real quality” has become his catchphrase thus far. If he can locate it, only time will tell.

The odd situation involving David Turnbull

For David Turnbull at Celtic, at least, it has never quite clicked.

He has established himself as a vital squad option with a spectacular goal here and a run in the team there,

but as he enters his third season at Parkhead, it is clear that both the team and the individual require more.

He is currently in the last half of the four-year contract he signed in 2020,

and it doesn’t appear like much progress has been made on a new one.

If Rodgers isn’t eager to commit, he won’t be making special efforts to keep him, according to Rodgers.

“If a player doesn’t want to sign, he doesn’t want to sign,” he stated back in December. I’m not going to miss sleep.

“I don’t know how far the conversations have gone,

but they obviously haven’t gone as well as David or perhaps his representative had hoped.

The meetings were held back in the summer.

In any case, he’s reached the part of his contract where he can determine what he wants to do and whether there are greater opportunities elsewhere.

However, as long as he is here, dedicated, productive, and running, he will always be a great asset.”

Yes, he is a significant asset, but his contract’s worth is steadily declining.

Turnbull is hoping to start on a regular basis before the summer Euros,

so if the club can get him for a good price this month, it should work out well for everyone.

Calm between the sticks

It’s necessary to resolve the problem between the sticks, even if Joe Hart’s form remains a mystery. and quickly.

The summer contract of veteran keeper Hart expires, and neither of his two understudies,

Benjamin Siegrist or Scott Bain,

gives me much hope for the future. Moving Siegrist on could be more difficult depending on his desire to play,

as Bain is also out of contract and he has an agreement that expires in 2026.

Caoimhin Kelleher of Liverpool has drawn interest in the past,

and he is the kind of shotstopper they need—someone with elite credentials and years to go before he reaches his prime.

While Rodgers expressed his desire for Hart to join,

he also made it clear that the Englishman might not be his top choice for the upcoming campaign.

Rodgers remarked, “We haven’t talked about (what happens next).”

“I believe he’s just content to be playing at that age.

Joe has demonstrated tremendous dedication to being up here because his family is in the south. If you are not playing at the top level,

are you going to stay up here by yourself without your family?

He’s had a lengthy career, and I enjoy spending every day with him. He has been a terrific leader for this team and exudes positivity. Towards the end of the season, he and I will talk about it.

Is there a chance Hart extends his contract in 2024–2025 to back up a younger goalie?

That would definitely depend on Hart, and it appears that the manager and goalie will soon have an open discussion.

Future Plans for Greg Taylor

Although it’s easier said than done, there have been discussions that Celtic could use an upgrade at left-back this month.

While there may be a need for a more inventive option to rotate in that position,

Rodgers has a reliable and consistent performer in Greg Taylor, who he will not want to lose.

But his contract status seemed to have slipped everyone’s notice.

Given Scales’ unexpected climb to fame, locking down Scales for the long term makes sense, but Taylor,

his left-handed friend, is also out of contract in 2025 and will be entering the final year of his contract this summer.

The 26-year-old will be up for a new contract, and although Rodgers won’t be worrying about it just yet,

it’s very possible that Taylor could be the man he looks to after Scales’ situation is eventually rectified.

Get rid of the deadwood.

The Celtic team is overly large. It’s a fallout from a summer in which they signed eleven players and welcomed back Mikey Johnston on loan,

but only moved on four players who were in the team the previous year.

Under Postecoglou, they have a reputation for making excellent signings,

but this season has seen more failures than hits,

and it already appears that players like Marco Tilio and Odin Thiago Holm may require loan agreements for the second half of the season.

For Kwon, who has hardly kicked a ball, it has gotten worse still.

And that’s before we even talk about players who have been on the sidelines for a while,

like James McCarthy. Although he still has 18 months left,

Rodgers declared in the summer that his time as a senior player at Parkhead is practically over.

Since then, McCarthy’s squad choices have shown that he wasn’t messing around either;

this season, he has only played in the Lowland League.

With Bernardo, stick or twist

Paulo Bernardo, a new acquisition from Benfica, has, however, recently truly settled in.

Predicted to be the natural successor to the prolific Jota, he didn’t seem to be up to the task at first,

but he worked his way up through the bloated midfield ranks to become a starter and finished the winter break with two outstanding assists against St Mirren.

If Celtic’s recent handling of loanees is any indication, long-term security won’t be a top priority right now.

Fans would have preferred it if Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers had been revealed as permanent Celtic players earlier in the summer window,

but the Hoops had more time to work out the details of their contracts thanks to exclusive buy clauses.

Bernardo may follow a similar strategy, if his performance holds up and he secures a permanent transfer.

After Paisley’s game-winning performance, Rodgers stated of Bernardo, “It’s all patience.”

“Big clubs don’t always have the patience for young players. You can see him mature and flourish.

When you have young players, if their mindset and approach are correct, that is typically what occurs.

In the past few games, he has entered the game and contributed goals and assists as well. He is a dogged individual.

I can’t be happier for him. These days, consistency is key.”

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