Brendan Rodgers has dropped a telling comment to the Celtic board with time running out on the transfer window.
With 10 days left for business to be completed Michael Nicholson has been unable to add a single outfield player to the squad that finished last season with a Scottish Cup win at Hampden.
Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo were secured on permanent deals after missing out on the pre-season preparations to leave Rodgers with a compact squad of around 14 trusted players.
Midfield makes this Celtic side tick with Matt O’Riley the stand out performer, after a marathon campaign last season he has retained and improved on his own high standards despite the almost daily transfer tales centered around five bids from Atalanta.
That door appears to have closed but at the age of 23 and having come through the Fulham Academy there is no lack of interest in O’Riley with Rodgers wisely making contingency plans.
Asked yesterday by BBC Scotland about the potential loss of his key midfielder, Rodgers was two steps ahead with his reply.
I haven’t heard anything different than last week so there’s nothing new to add. His mentality is phenomenal.
He’s a player that’s continued to grow and you see the confidence that he’s playing the game with. I still think we need another player in that position. If he was to go, we’d need two more.
Bernardo seems a trusted option but Odin Thiago-Holm has been restricted to two cameo appearances with Tomoki Iwata yet to get a minute of action off the bench this season.
If Rodgers is looking for two midfielders in the event of O’Riley leaving it stands to reason he is looking for one to be added just now.
An Aaron Mooy type would be ideal but after a year back at Celtic Rodgers knows exactly what the squad requires.
Once again, against Hibs there were none of Mark Lawwell’s summer 2023 signings in the Starting XI.
On August 31 fans will be able to judge whether Nicholson has delivered on the needs of his manager, now well into their third window together the signs are that the manager will be left to select from last minute loan signings for the Champions League.
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