BRENDAN RODGERS has thanked the Parkhead powerbrokers for funding the £32million summer outlay that saw Celtic beat their record purchase TWICE in 17 days.
The Hoops’ most expensive recruit prior to the late August cash splash had been £9million striker Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2018.
However, that six-year record was overtaken by the £9.5million arrival of Norwich City hitman Adam Idah following his impressive nine goals in 17 loan outings the previous season.
PICK IT OUT…£9.5million marksman Adam Idah scores No.3 against Motherwell at Fir Park.
But that figure was topped shortly afterwards when Belgian midfielder Arne Engels cost £11million when he joined from Bundesliga outfit Augsburg on deadline day.
On the same day, Luke McCowan was recruited at a more modest £1million from Dundee while Sheffield United centre-back Auston Trusty had come in on a five-year deal at the cost of £6million.
In all, the champions spent £32million on squad reinforcements and Rodgers insists the club are now reaping the reward for their ambition in the summer.
The Irishman fielded seven of the new Bhoys in the 3-0 win over Motherwell at the weekend. With the team playing Atalanta in Bergamo in the Champions League in the previous midweek – and gaining a very respectable 0-0 draw – the manager was in the position of being able to re-energise his side.
THE RACE IS ON…£11million Belgian Arne Engels and Atalanta’s Sead Kolisanic in pursuit of the ball.
Kasper Schmeichel, Alex Valle, Paulo Bernardo, Trusty and McCowan started the match at Fir Park while Engels and Idah came on as second-half substitutes.
Rodgers, speaking to the Daily Mail, admitted: “I’ve told the players they all have a role to play.
“Don’t ever think it’s just about the eleven because, with how we work and with the number of games, and the energy we have to put in, they all know they have a big contribution to make.
“We were able to rest Arne, who’s come in as a young player and played so many games. The distance he covered in midweek [in Bergamo]was huge.
“I’m obviously very grateful to the club for getting the players in that allows us to do that.”
HOOP HOOP HOORAY…£1million recruit Luke McCowan celebrates his first start for Celtic with the opening goal in the 3-0 success over Motherwell on Sunday.
The squad will be utilised over the next week with three games in three different tournaments coming up fast.
The champions face Dundee in the Premiership at Parkhead tomorrow night, Aberdeen in the Premier Sports League Cup semi-final at Hampden on Saturday evening and RB Leipzig in Europe’s most prestigious competition a week tonight under the lights in the east end of Glasgow.
Everyone will be ready to play his part.
SUMMER ARRIVALS
Arne Engels £11m Augsburg
Adam Idah £9.5m Norwich City
Auston Trusty £6m Sheffield United
Paulo Bernardo £3.5m Benfica
Luke McCowan £1m Dundee
Viljami Sinisola £1m Aston Villa
Kasper Schmeichel free Anderlecht
LOAN
Alex Valle Barcelona
