BRENDAN RODGERS will continue his search for a striker after admitting he needs to “improve the squad” for the rigours of the new season.
Adam Idah remains the Celtic manager’s priority target after his impressive nine goals in 19 loan appearances from Norwich City last season.
The Republic of Ireland international powerhouse signed off with the Scottish Cup Final winner over Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit at Hampden on May 25.
There has been a clamour among the Hoops support to bring back the 23-year-old hitman and Rodgers agrees with that sentiment, but the Championship outfit are digging in their heels on the value of Idah who was a bit-part player at Carrow Road under former boss David Warner.
BHOY, OH BHOY…Adam Idah celebrates with the Celtic support after his Scottish Cup winner.
The German coach was sacked after the East Anglian club failed in the Premier League play-off and his successor, Johannes Thorup, appears to be in no rush to part with the forward.
It’s down to the champions’ money men to negotiate a deal that will suit all parties, but, with the Premiership kick-off looming a week on Sunday, it appears to have reached stalemate.
Rodgers, though, is hoping to get the deal over the line before the August 30 transfer deadline – especially after selling South Korean attack-leader Oh Hyeon-gyu to Belgian side Genk earlier this month.
And plans to introduce Rocco Vata to a more central role were scuppered when the teenager left at the end of his contract for second-tier Watford.
The Parkhead boss said: “I think my ideal scenario was to have three, Kyogo, one other one and bring through a young player. That was the role we came up with for Rocco.
‘It’s very difficult for a club of this size to have three number one strikers.
DOWN AND OUT…Oh Hyeon-gyu who has joined Belgian outfit Genk.
“You can live with two because we play so many games and the specific nature of the games then we can change it about. Three is very difficult. But I also think, for development, I want to bring some young, maybe a player from within.
“Rocco was that, but he’s moved on. So we may have to look elsewhere. But three is a really good number. Two, I would say to be number one strikers and one that we can nurture and develop.”
As expected, Rodgers is not being overly-expansive on possible recruits as the guessing game continues with the club linked to Venezia midfielder Tanner Tessmann and Royal Antwerp winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha.
Paulo Bernardo, who, like Idah, impressed during his temporary transfer from Benfica, is edging closer to a permanent deal at the champions.
However, the Hoops gaffer, speaking to the Daily Record, would only concede: “I’m really hopeful every day. We know we need to improve the squad.
“But we know we need to improve the squad, we want to develop. But in the meantime, whilst we await that, you can see the players who are here are developing well, working well and they’re playing some fantastic football at this pre-season stage.”
Full-backs Colby Donovan and Matthew Anderson were introduced to first-team action in the 4-0 win over DC United Washington at the weekend in the opening game of the USA tour.
BYE, BYE BENJI…stand-by shotstopper Siegrist is heading for Neil Lennon’s Rapid Bucharest.
On the way out, though, is back-up keeper Benji Siegrist who didn’t make a solitary Premiership appearance in his two years at the club after arriving on a free transfer from Dundee United two years ago.
The Swiss netminder, 32, is heading for Romania and a four-year contract at Neil Lennon’s Rapid Bucharest.
Rodgers added: “Benji has been a really professional guy. He had done well at United, come into Celtic and maybe wanted to play more. When he didn’t, and I can only speak for my year with him, he was exemplary.
“His professionalism, everything about him was first class. And when I spoke last season, we thought that probably for him, in this part of his career, he needed to go and play.”
