Brendan Rodgers on Celtic’s lackadaisical transfer plans | OneFootball

Brendan Rodgers has revealed the latest on Celtic’s lackadaisical transfer plans, expressing hope that the club is edging nearer to securing new signings before the month is out…

Sporting CP v Celtic – Pre-Season Friendly Benjamin Nygren of Celtic FC controls the ball during the Pre-Season Friendly match between Sporting de Lisboa and Celtic FC at Estadio Algarve in Faro, Portugal, on July 16, 2025. Faro Portugal Photo DAX Images

So far this window, the club have added seven new faces, notably bringing Kieran Tierney back from Arsenal and securing deals for Benjamin Nygren, Shin Yamada, Callum Osmand, Hayato Inamura, Ross Doohan and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (on a loan deal from Manchester City).

Celtic player Kieran Tierney iin action during 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)

Last night, Celtic finalised and submitted their 25-man Champions League squad to UEFA for the upcoming play-off against Kairat Almaty, with the first leg set for next Wednesday at Celtic Park.

Up to two players may be added ahead of the first leg against the Kazakh champions, as long as two current squad members are removed from the list by 11pm on Tuesday, 19 August.

Asked whether his team would be strengthened by the time they host Kairat Almaty, Rodgers responded via Celtic’s official YouTube channel: “Hopefully would be the answer to that. But, we have right up until the day before the game to change our squad, so hopefully that can be the case.

Celtic FC coach Brendan Rodgers looks on before the Como Cup match between Al-Ahli and Celtic FC at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium on July 26, 2025 in Como, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“I don’t want to dwell on it too much, as it has been constant. I am not clever enough for you guys to say the same things 20 times differently. We hope we can improve it, and hopefully, by then, we will do.”

Regarding Celtic’s approach in the transfer market so far, Rodgers added: “I’m philosophical about it. The club has always notoriously done business towards the end of the window. I’ve said it before, all coaches and managers want the players in as soon as we can, because pre-season is for preparation, and you want to be as prepared as you can possibly be.”

Aberdeen v Celtic – Celtic Manager Brendan Rodgers during the Scottish Premiership match between Aberdeen and Celtic at Pittodrie on 10 August 2025. Photo Stephen Dobson PSI (IMAGO)

“Regardless of the players we get in or not, what I know is that the players that are here, what has gone unnoticed a little bit is that we’ve made a really good start. We’ve had two really good wins and played well. I know we’ll get better, but I can’t knock the performances over the two games to get the results.”

“That has been clouded a wee bit in all this sort of negativity around the transfers. So I’m really trying to focus on the guys that are here; there is lots of stuff going on in the background. Hopefully, we can come out of the end of the market in a good place.”

Watch Brendan’s media conference below or read everything that was said HERE.

Conor Spence

More Stories / Latest News

Kairat Almaty face visa concerns for Russian and Belarusian players

Aug 15 2025, 10:51

Tieless conspiracy theory jovially dismissed by Celtic manager

Aug 15 2025, 10:32

Brendan Rodgers on Celtic’s lackadaisical transfer plans

Aug 15 2025, 9:51

CELTIC IN THE EIGHTIES BY DAVID POTTER, FOREWORD BY DANNY McGRAIN is published by Celtic Star Books on the fifth day of September. You can pre-order now to guarantee your copy which will be signed by Danny McGrain, with just a limited number of signed copies still available, although they are selling very quickly.

Missing Attachment

Missing Attachment

And there’s another great benefit for readers who pre-order their copy of Celtic in the Eighties. You will also receive a copy of an earlier David Potter book – Celtic’ Icicle – Alec McNair – which you’ll receive for FREE when you pre-order with Celtic in the Eighties. So you get two great Celtic books by David Potter and better still the postage is only charged on one. Click on the image below to order. (Just order Celtic in the Eighties and we’ll automatically add a copy of the Alec McNair book).

Celtic in the Eighties by David Potter. Foreword by Danny McGrain. Published on Celtic Star Books on 5 September 2025. Click on image to pre-order.

Help raise funds for Celtic Youth Academy by playing the Celtic Pools Weekly Lottery and you could win up to £25,000. The lottery is £1 per week. Click on image to join.