BRENDAN RODGERS admits Celtic need four new players – and Manchester United central defender Paddy McNair is the latest to be linked with a loan move to the champions.
Old Trafford boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen to allow the Northern Ireland international to go out on a season-long temporary transfer.
Rodgers, who watched the Hoops lose 3-1 to Barcelona in Dublin yesterday, realises he urgently requires reinforcements.
His priority is a centre-half with Erik Sviatchenko, Jozo Simunovic and Dedryck Boyata all on the injury list at the moment.
Efe Ambrose partnered 20-year-old Eoghan O’Connell against the Catalan giants and, unfortunately, the Nigerian international scored an own goal at a crucial stage of the encounter.
Rodgers, who has brought in striker Moussa Dembele, from Fulham, and free agent Kolo Toure, released at the end of the season by Liverpool, and has been linked with Blackburn’s Republic of Ireland stopper Shane Duffy as well as Aston Villa winger Scott Sinclair.
He revealed: “We are still a long way away from where we want to be, but I can’t deny the mental strength of the players. Ideally, I would like another four.
“It just takes time. I respect that and understand that, but, in terms of assessing the squad before I came in and likewise having been in now for six weeks or so, that is what I would say we would be at.
“Scotty is a young talented lad I know really well, but he is still an Aston Villa player. Until anything is done, there is nothing to say.”
Asked specifically about 21-year-old McNair, Rodgers replied: “I can’t deny or say yes or no to that because there have been so many players who have been thrown our way or linked with Celtic.”
Once Upon a Time in the Kingdom of Govania is written by CQN’er MEA CULPA and is beautifully illustrated by the wonderfully talented CARTUJA.
Set in Medieval times it is a story of greed, corruption, cheating and skullduggery.
Some of the main characters may well ring a bell or two. There’s David the Lamb Giver and his financial assistant Baxendale de Porno.
Queen Beth sends Sir Hector of Taxem to Govania not long after David the Lamb Giver’s trusted ally Banquo Scotus in the terrible batte of Krunching Kredit.
On the story goes as Sir Googly of Ayes is Hailed as the new knight of the realm.
Sir Charles de Verre, the terrible Ogre, Mash the Scrotum Gripper and many more sort of familiar characters all enter the story of the fantastic fall of Govania and the emergence of Sevconia at Castle Ibroke.
Once Upon a Time in the Kingdom Of Govania is an Escaped Goat Production for Celtic Quick News and Internet Bampots and is available exclusively from http://www.cqnbookstore.com with a limited number copies remaining.
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