Brendan Rodgers reiterates Celtic's need for transfer reinforcements after heavy Ajax defeat
The Hoops boss has provided an insight into the Parkhead club’s transfer strategy
Brendan Rodgers admits the manner of Celtic’s embarrassing 5-1 defeat to Ajax in the Como Cup served as a timely reminder that his squad needs reinforcements in the transfer market.
The Scottish champions fell to crushing friendly loss against last season’s Eredivisie runners-up, who stormed to victory in the second half in a game that highlighted the Hoops’ frailties heading into the new season.
A Steven Berghuis double plus further goals for Davy Klaassen, Aaron Bouwman and Rayan Bounida rendered Yang Hyun-jun’s brief leveller a mere consolation in Italy.
Rodgers conceded: “I think that’s the nature of a pre-season. It’s designed to grow, and by the end of it, you’ve had really good tests. We saw that tonight. I was seeing players on the next level and how they cope, and it’s a reminder really of the work that we have to do on the pitch and off the pitch.
“It depends on what your ambition is. If your ambition is to really progress and push forward, then we need to improve the squad. But I can’t fault the players. Those that are here, they’ve been working so well, so hard, and you see some of the play and how they work has been very, very good.
“However, if you’re going to progress, then, as I said, you need to bring in quality, and that’s something that we hope to do.”
Rodgers gives insight into Celtic’s recruitment strategy
Quizzed further about recruitment and the identification of players that would suit his squad, Rodgers provided an insight into the stringent process.
He explained: “How it mostly works at most clubs is that you have a recruitment and analytical team that scour your markets to find the players that are suitable within your price range and really importantly, have quality.
“They then get presented to you and then it’s whether that list, whether the players I think are right for us. If they’re not, then we’ve got to keep looking. If they are, then we’ve got to try and see if we can get the deal to get them in. And that’s obviously the club who will then do that.
“But listen, Celtic, there are no secrets in it. They will look to get the best deal for the club and get the best players in as possible. My job is to coach and demand we get the highest level player we can, if we want to keep developing.”