Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is on the lookout for new talent to bolster his squad, having only been able to welcome Nicolas Kuhn from Rapid Vienna thus far in the January window.
Kuhn, who joins the ranks alongside Liel Abada, Luis Palma, Daizen Maeda, James Forrest, Mikey Johnston and Yang is set to enhance the team’s options on the flanks.
Rodgers is keen on further strengthening the team before the month ends, with a particular emphasis on adding a striker. This need becomes more pressing considering that Maeda and Hyeongyu Oh are away at the Asian Cup, leaving Kyogo Furuhashi as the only recognised striker for the upcoming games in February.
Rodgers expressed his concerns over the weekend, quoted by The Herald: “It’s an area we have to look at, we can’t ignore it. It’s the balance between bringing someone in to challenge while acknowledging that’s a difficult sell to someone when Kyogo has been fantastic here. Or is it a young player who comes in with potential to improve and get better? Those are the things that you think about, because it really is only for a short period of time that those guys will be missing [at the African Cup of Nations and the Asian Cup]. But, yeah, it’s all about availability.”
He further added, “It’s also one that we have been looking at for a period of time and it would have really changed if Kyogo had gone away with Japan. That was our thinking process, that we would actually be left with no one.
“Him being here for virtually one game a week for a number of weeks changes the dynamic. It’s about getting the right players in. You can easily bring players in. But sometimes it takes a bit of time and patience. We’ve got the winger we wanted and there are some other positions we want to improve. If the players are available and we can do a deal, then great. If not, we’ll move on to the summer. It will only be if the right players are not available.”
The challenge Rodgers faces is ensuring the squad is robust enough to handle any scenario in the latter half of the season, especially if Kyogo is unavailable due to injury or suspension. The question remains: does Rodgers have enough faith in his current striking options? The Celtic fans sure don’t!
Even when Oh is back from international duty, there’s room for improvement from the South Korean, but as Rodgers points out, convincing a player to join as a secondary option to Kyogo is not straightforward.
It’s a tough recruitment challenge, but necessary to keep the team well-equipped for the upcoming challenges. There are ten days left of the January window. If Celtic can’t find the right candidates, they’re putting their title challenge in jeopardy.
Rodgers speaks sense asking someone to come sit on the bench I don’t think we will get someone to shift kyoko unbelievable if we did who’s place will they take O’Rileys ,Bernardo ,hiata ,oh is learning more games like Bernardo will improve he will miss 3 games 4 at most yes might get injured I’d go for experience man maybe a loan but we are only 2points clear if sevco wins games in hand do we stick or twist we do need a third striker maybe at a push mikey johnston but I don’t think he works hard enough for the team I agree with manager can’t buy a player a three year contract if he’s not going to challenge ho even kyoko
In other words Rodgers won’t get the players he wants because Lawell won’t sanction the transfer fees. With £72M in the bank it is a disgrace that we don’t get first team quality players in, not projects. Grow a pair Me Yes man.
The only signing so far was bought for around £2.8m, the footballing equivalent of 10 bob and a pickled egg! Brendan Rodgers knew from the start of the month that he wouldn’t be bringing in those “quality players” he bluffed about for months. The simple fact is the suits are not willing to pay for any kind of quality, which is why so many linked strikers are just so much bluster. The fans are being had again and Brendan is acting, as usual, as the mouthpiece for the Board to explain in all kinds of fanciful ways why there will be no quality signings this window. It’s a disgrace.
The old dinosaur will be rubbing his hands in glee, back to the biscuit tin scenario. As soon as L senior is back this mentality repeats itself as for L junior, no experience in the job and that is becoming more evident now that angeball is not doing his job for him. The January transfer window is notorious for getting deals done and if you’re looking like a desparado then clubs can basically name their price. So, I agree with BR that what he actually desires is probably over priced at this moment but I have the fear that were going to be left wanting in the second half of the season. Football is a fickle thing and I don’t see why we cannot splash the cash to cover ourselves to the end game which is winning the league to the big prize payout. We have the cash to do so as the fat cats in glorifying themselves like to point out. I am concerned about BR demeanour lately, a lot of backtracking going on with him. If the board is not backing him it’s time to say so. The fans prefer the facts and I think it’s quite obvious that a lot of us are not impressed with the fat cats especially, with the disdain they treated supporters with at the agm. Be upfront BR it may surprise you the backing you will get.