Rodgers demands Celtic sign ‘highest level of player’

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The Celtic Star

·25. Juli 2025

Rodgers demands Celtic sign ‘highest level of player’

Brendan Rodgers has cleared up the confusion to why Shin Yamada was not in Celtic’s squad last night and has given an insight into what he must DEMAND from Celtic in the transfer window…

Celtic player Shin Yamada is introduced to the crow prior to the pre-season friendly match between Celtic and Newcastle United at Celtic Park on July 19, 2025 in Glasgow, Scotland. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

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.

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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.”

Mg Como 24/07/2025 – amichevole / Ajax-Celtic / foto Matteo Gribaudi/Image nella foto: esultanza gol Yang Hyun-Jun. Photo IMAGO

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.

COMO , 24-07-2025 , Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia , season 2025 / 2026 , Como Cup football , match between Ajax and Celtic , Field entrance of both teams and referee with teamcaptain Ajax player Davy Klaassen Ajax – Celtic friendly. Photo IMAGO

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.

COMO , 24-07-2025 , Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia , season 2025 / 2026 , Como Cup football , match between Ajax and Celtic , Brendan Rodgers Head coach of Celtic and John Heitinga Head Coach of Ajax. Ajax v Celtic friendly. Photo IMAGO

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

Conor Spence

Read this – The backstory to Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter

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…

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter, out 5 September 2025. Available to pre-order now.

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