Rodgers reservations about centre-back duo – Charlie Mulgrew

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The Celtic Star

·29 June 2025

Rodgers reservations about centre-back duo – Charlie Mulgrew

Former Celtic defender Charlie Mulgrew believes Brendan Rodgers may still have reservations about centre-back duo Liam Scales and Auston Trusty…

Liam Scales. Photo by Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

Auston Trusty arrived at the club last summer in an expensive £6 million move from English Championship side Sheffield United.

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Despite gaining regular game time during the first half of the season, the American international eventually dropped out of the Rodgers’ starting lineup towards the end of the campaign, with Scales taking his spot.

Speaking in Daily Record, Mulgrew revealed he does not think Rodgers is convinced about both players: “I get the feeling that he’s not completely satisfied with Trusty or Scales,” he said. “But then it can change.”

Liam Scales at Ibrox. theRangers v Celtic, 4 May 2025. Photo Vagelis Georgariou (The Celtic Star)

“I really like Scales. Trusty’s shown he can be a good player as well. They’ll come back this pre-season and they might just hit the ground running. The way football works, they could be the main centre-back next year. Football’s a mad game.”

Here’s Sandman’s take on Auston Trusty in his outstanding season review on The Celtic Star…READ HERE

Mulgrew added: “It happened to myself. The year I got Player of the Year, I came back and I wasn’t in the team for the first two games. Then I played the majority at centre-back and got Player of the Year in Scotland. Anything can happen.”

“I’m sure Brendan Rodgers will be assessing that and seeing who’s the best fit to play. That’s the good thing about Brendan Rodgers, he’s always keeping people on their toes by knowing if they don’t perform, they’ll be replaced. As a player, you want to be kept on your toes and not be resting your laurels.”

Here’s Sandman’s take on Liam Scales in his outstanding season review on The Celtic Star…READ HERE

Celtic will need to dip in the market for one, maybe two central defenders this summer. With Nawrocki, Welsh and Lagerbielke heading for the exit and rumours circulating around Trusty’s future, that centre back position may become a top priority for Rodgers over the next few weeks.

Trusty was an enigma last season, in the Champions League his displays against Atalanta, RB Leipzig and Bayern were colossal and it looked like he had all the makings of a top defender.

Auston Trusty celebrates after scoring his team’s second goal during the Scottish Premiership match between Celtic and St. Mirren at Celtic Park on January 05, 2025. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

However, his soft defending at Dens Park in January and his performance at McDiarmid Park in April were worrying examples of Trusty looking like a run of the mill Scottish Premiership centre-back.

And, it’s not run of the mill Scottish Premiership defenders Celtic need ahead of another exciting European campaign on its way. A centre-back is required, perhaps maybe two and the club should really have reinforcements lined up.

Conor Spence

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