BRENDAN Rodgers will not make an expensive marquee signing during this transfer window because Celtic won’t change their model even if there is a threat to their quest for eight titles in a row.
Oliver Burke, Timothy Weah, both on loan and Vakoun Issouf Bayo for £2million have arrived, and a right-back, perhaps Omar Elabdellaoui, a Norwegian who plays for Greek outfit Olympiakos, could follow that trio to Glasgow.
But while Rodgers was given a record £9million to sign Odsonne Edouard last summer, there will be no record spending by Celtic during this month.
Asked whether a big money transfer was a possibility, Rodgers said: “I don’t think that’s how Celtic works. The model of the club is value and maximising that value and talent and development and see it grow at the club. The young players that have come in fit that model.
“My job was to develop that, increase that talent within and hopefully they can come in and do a great job for Celtic. Whether they are loan signings or a permanent signing.”
Rodgers is hoping to make at least one more addition to his squad and perhaps more if the right player becomes available.
The perception is that Rangers have strengthened but the Celtic manager is more concerned about his own players and how they can play better – and score more goals – when the league starts up again.
Rodgers said: “Ideally we’d make more signings. I think there are still positions where we would like to get folk in. But we needed to improve the squad, there was no doubt about that.
“The second part of the season is about bringing in more of a offensive threat and giving us more options.
“In the first part of the season you could see that we were not ideal, having to play players out of position and what not. That has just been unfortunate really but bringing these guys in really supports the players already there and once we get the injured players back as well that gives us something to look forward to.”
One major positive for Rodgers is the return of Nir Bitton after missing nine months through a knee injury.
The midfielder was a key player for Celtic before being crocked and will give his manager another alternative in the centre of the park.
Rodgers said: “Nir has been great for me in my time here, I played him in a couple of position and he gives the team stability. He has presence and he’s a wonderful team player.
"It’s been a long, long road for him but he’s back in training and working and he’s had a good week here so far.
“When he gets up to speed that will be a real positive player for us. He doesn’t always get the credit that he deserves. He’s a really influential player for us.”
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