Celtic blow over £10m star is 'last thing Rodgers needs right now' at Parkhead

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·15 September 2023

Celtic blow over £10m star is 'last thing Rodgers needs right now' at Parkhead

Celtic will be frustrated that Liel Abada to is unlikely to be fit for the beginning of their Champions League campaign this season, as journalist Dean Jones drops his verdict to GIVEMESPORT on the Hoops’ aims in Europe at Parkhead.

Brendan Rodgers hopes to guide his side to a better showing in the continent's premier cup competition than they managed under Ange Postecoglou last term.

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It’s been a whirlwind few weeks for Abada, who has experienced all emotions following the eventual closure of the summer transfer window in Scotland. Earlier this summer, Celtic had reportedly resigned themselves to losing the attacker if a buyer could stump up £10m for his services. However, towards the end of the market, Abada put pen to paper on a new deal, tying him to the club until the summer of 2027. Reacting to the development, Rodgers expressed his delight in an interview with Celtic’s official website.

“I am delighted that Liel has extended his contract with the Club. We know there was significant interest in Liel from other clubs, so we’re delighted that he has committed his future to Celtic. “Already, he has made a great contribution to Celtic, delivering some great performances and making a real impact. His energy and ability are real assets to us, and his delivery in terms of goals and assists from wide areas has been excellent. He is a fantastic young player and now we hope he can build on what he has achieved so far and develop even further.”

However, Rodgers himself announced via BBC Sport that Abada faces three-four months out of action after picking up an injury whilst on international duty with Israel. This would mean the winger could be unavailable for all of Celtic’s Champions League matches against the likes of Feyenoord and Lazio. The player is suggested to be ‘angry with himself’ after the problem flared up in the final seconds of a voluntary training session. Israeli outfit Sport5 report (via The Scottish Sun):

“The 21-year-old seems to be angry mainly with himself because he chose to continue kicking at the end of the training even though it was a permission and not an obligation.”

told GIVEMESPORT that he and Matt O'Riley could "flourish" under Rodgers.

What has Jones said about Celtic and Abada?

Jones claims Celtic need to gather “positive momentum” and don’t want to embarrass themselves in the Champions League, claiming that Abada is someone who would be required for the side to give a good account of themselves in Europe. The journalist told GIVEMESPORT:

“Celtic need to gather some positive momentum at the moment. So, I can see why they wanted Abada back immediately. This is the last thing they need right now, particularly, as you say, ahead of the Champions League fixtures. There aren't massive expectations for Celtic to do well in that tournament, but they also don't want to be an embarrassment. I think that that's what's going to be key. You've got to balance out the domestic season with your European campaign. The priority has to be to try and win the league. But in the European campaign, you have to, at least, have a chance of scoring goals and having some opportunities within your team. You want Abada to be one of the players available as part of that.”

Who could replace Abada in Celtic’s starting XI?

Though Abada’s injury would come as a blow to Rodgers, he has a wealth of options who could replace the Israeli international should the young talent find himself out of action for a prolonged period. With Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi occupying the left-wing and centre-forward spots in the front three in Celtic’s 1-0 victory over Rangers this month, the Northern Irishman will look for someone to step into the right side of his attack.

Experienced wide man James Forrest has already made three appearances for the Glasgow giants this term and could be trusted to step in and cover Abada over the next few weeks. Alternatively, Rodgers could place his faith in recent signings Hyun-jun Yang or Marco Tilio, who arrived from South Korea and Australia, respectively, this summer.

What next for Celtic?

Celtic return to Premiership action on Saturday when they welcome Dundee to Parkhead, before next Tuesday’s Champions League opener at Feyenoord. Trips to Livingston and Motherwell await the Hoops before Lazio arrive at Celtic Park for the Glasgow giants’ second fixture of their European campaign.

And Kilmarnock are the visitors on 7th October, in Celtic’s last game before the season’s second international break, when Abada hopes to be firing on all cylinders.