Things are going quite nicely for Celtic this summer as they settle into a new season of competitive action. Progressing comfortably against Linfield in UEFA Champions League qualifying, they have a massive tie against Rosenborg to look forward to before they can even think about the Scottish Premiership season starting.
Having already signed Jonny Hayes, Kundai Benyu and Olivier Ntcham this summer, Brendan Rodgers has started to piece together the team that he feels can replicate the huge success he found in his debut season in charge of the club.
That’s not unsubstantial business but given the resources of the Hoops this year, you get the impression they have plenty left in the transfer kitty to add even more quality to the side and that’s before any potential deals for outgoing players.
The recruitment job is far from done and if they are to truly shine over the next 12 months then we reckon they need to add depth and quality to these three positions…
Goalkeeper
Craig Gordon has been a fantastic number one for Celtic for a number of years now. On the brink of retiring from the game due to injuries, he’s found a home and some excellent coaches and really enhanced his game since joining the club. He’s a better goalkeeper now than he’s ever been in his entire career. To acquire a quality goalkeeper in the wake of Fraser Forster’s departure was excellent recruitment.
Still though, he could do with serious competition in the position and with both Leo Fasan and Logan Bailly leaving the club, that just leaves Dorus De Vries as back up and he showed last season that he’s far from the answer with unconvincing displays in the early part of the season.
Signing a young goalkeeper with potential could be fantastic for the club to push Craig Gordon and to also perhaps think about replacing him long-term over the next two or three seasons. While 34 is far from a retirement age when you’re a goalkeeper, the Hoops must guard against a drop in consistency or form in the Scotland international and having a young goalkeeper ready to take his place could be a perfect strategy.
Centre-back
For some Celtic fans this is the problem position in the team right now. With Dedryck Boyata injured for the next few months and Erik Sviatchenko going off the boil since December, they are one Jozo Simunovic injury away from full blown crisis in defence and arguably don’t have a partner who can match the Croatian.
Defence is the area that can improve most when you take Europe into consideration with Brendan Rodgers’ side conceding far too many in last season’s UEFA Champions League group stages.
Signing another centre-back, perhaps one with experience and pedigree in UEFA competition and you’d fancy the Hoops to be a real force on the European scene over the coming months.
Right-wing
Everyone knows how much Celtic fans loved Patrick Roberts and they’re slowly coming to terms with the fact that he won’t be coming back to the club this summer.
That presents a real problem for Brendan Rodgers since Roberts was their key creative force last term. The youngster provided 15 assists in all competitions, more than any other player in green and white.
They’ve signed Jonny Hayes and while he adds depth, he isn’t the first choice, European calibre winger Celtic fans are crying out for. While James Forrest developed well under Rodgers, some fans would argue that he isn’t that player either.
Whether it’s another excellent loan signing from the fringes of the English Premier League or a transfer record smashing buy from the continent, Celtic need to focus on this area of the pitch to give them the cutting edge required to be as good as last season.