Rodgers: Celtic still have work to do in window

Manager looking to add to squad as Scots get ready to take on Ajax in Italy

24 Jul 2025 - Herald Sport

Findlay Brown Football writer

BRENDAN RODGERS says Celtic still have work to do in the transfer market as his side landed in Italy for the inaugural Como Cup. The friendly competition sees Celtic face Ajax in one semi-final, with Como 1907 and Al-Ahli in the other. The Celtic manager says there is no such thing as an exhibition match for the Glasgow club.

“Pre-season is designed to develop your football fitness, but I say it to the players, when you’re a big club like Celtic, there’s never a friendly; they are always tests for you,” he said.

“We didn’t dominate last year; we won two out of three trophies. So we believe we can be even better this season on the domestic front.”

Since returning from their summer break, Celtic have recorded four wins and one loss, including an emphatic 4-0 victory over Newcastle at home.

The Parkhead manager was asked if the time has allowed him to tinker tactically, or has been used to double down on what brought success home last season.

“A little of both,” he said. “Last season we scored the most goals in over 50 years. We create lots of opportunities but you can always improve.

“It’s about reinforcing a lot of the good work that we already do, whilst tweaking elements in order to attack even more, because that is the soul of Celtic, it’s attacking football.”

Although they might not meet Como should only one of the two sides win their respective games, Rodgers was effusive in his praise of Nicolas Kuhn, who signed for the Italian club for an initial £16.5m.

“Nicolas will be a really exciting talent,” said Rodgers. “When we saw him playing for Rapid Vienna, straight away his speed, his ability with the ball and his ability to score goals really stood out. When we took him to Celtic, all those qualities shone through. He was also playing in a very, very good team at Celtic.

“For a player to shine, you want him to be in a good team and with Callum [McGregor] and his teammates, they really helped improve him as a player. When you play for such a big club like Celtic, you become a winner.”

The sentiment was echoed by captain McGregor, who said he and his teammates were looking forward to seeing former team-mates Kuhn and Alex Valle, who left Celtic in January on a loan that became permanent this summer.

“You cross paths so many times with new players and you get to know them on a personal level as well,” he said.

“You spend so many days at the training ground, hotels, playing with each other and building connections.

“It’s always nice when you see players move on and do really well for themselves. So it’ll be nice to see those guys again.”

Rodgers was also complimentary of Como’s manager Cesc Fabregas, who earned promotion from the second tier before finishing tenth in the club’s first season in Serie A for 21 years.

“For Como, it has been a great story for the club over these last number of years,” said Rodgers. “Cesc, as a young manager, is coming in and looking to play a very clear style of football and he’s taken in some fantastic players.”

“He’s at the beginning of his journey, and I’m sure if he has that passion and that desire that he had as a player then he can have a very good career.”

“I’m very impressed with the journey that the team is on. I’m just really looking forward to being here and hopefully playing against them.”

When asked if he had given any thought to life after playing, McGregor said it had been on his mind of late.

He joked: “I think you were listening to our car journey here! We were just having a chat on the way from the airport about later down the line, whether that be coaching or managing and just trying to prepare yourself for the next steps.

“I love football and I want to be part of football for the rest of my life. So eventually, when the time comes to hang up my boots, then for sure I’ll be trying to use as much information as I can to take the next step.”

Despite losing Kuhn, the club have made six signings this summer, including the return of Kieran Tierney and new face Benjamin Nygren from Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland, but Rodgers says the club have business left to complete.

“We still have some work to do,” he said. “I think the players that we have in the building have been very, very good in this pre-season so far. But like I say, we still have work to do in the market.

“I think it’s very clear where our gaps are – in our front line, where we need support. I’m very confident that we’ll be able to do that before the market finishes.”

When McGregor was asked why he thought Italy had proven to be such a hotbed for Scottish players to flourish, the midfielder pointed to the adaptability of his team-mates.

“When they come, they settle into the lifestyle, they learn a new language,” he said. “So it shines a really positive light on Scottish football and its footballers.”

However, McGregor, having played just one season away from Celtic on loan with Notts County, has indicated no desire to leave Glasgow before finishing his career.

When asked what his approach was to develop tactically without globetrotting as his team-mates had done, he was interrupted by Rodgers.

“By changing managers,” joked the Celtic boss, before McGregor added: “Well that is it. It’s working with top-level managers who have been on that journey and managed in the Premier League and top clubs.

“To have longevity at such a big club like Celtic, you have to keep reinventing yourself and keep pushing and driving yourself for more, because people are always asking for more from you.”

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Celtic bid for Breum fails

23 Jul 2025

Herald Sport

GO AHEAD Eagles have rejected a £1.5million offer from Celtic for Danish winger Jakob Breum.

The Parkhead club are in the market for wide men after selling Nicholas Kuhn to Como for £17m and losing the services of the injured Jota until early next year.

An offer for 21-year-old right sided attacker Breum fell well below the Dutch club’s valuation of £5m.

Fighting off interest in Breum and midfielder Oliver Antman club director Jan Willem van Dop spoke of an offer from a ‘foreign club’ for the former earlier this month. Herald Sport understands the club in question was Celtic.

“The only thing that is going on and as far as we are concerned are the unsuccessful moves,” said van Dop in an interview with RTTV Oost. “There has been a bid for Jakob Breum from a foreign club

“We are so far apart there. You have to stand your ground. He may have to realise that it could be very good to stay with us at least until the winter break, just like Oliver Edvardsen.”