CELTIC boss Brendan Rodgers WILL have cash to splash in the January transfer window – as CQN reported earlier this month.
Chief executive Peter Lawwell admitted the champions were left frustrated in their efforts to strengthen the squad in the summer market.
The Hoops paid a club record £10million for striker Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain and Lewis Morgan arrived following his loan period at St Mirren after his £300,000 January deal.
Goalkeeper Scott Bain, following his initial temporary switch from Dundee, also agreed a deal when his Dens Park contract expired while fans’ favourite Emilio Izaguirre returned after a year away from Parkhead.
Former Kilmarnock anchorman Youssouf Mulumbu, who was another free agent, signed a two-year deal.
However, moves for other targets such as Hibs midfielder John McGinn and Aberdeen central defender Scott McKenna didn’t materialise.
A combined £26.9million was raked in with the movement of Moussa Dembele to Lyon and Stuart Armstrong to Southampton and Lawwell insists there are funds available for the manager to utilise at the turn of the year.
RECORD-BREAKING BHOY…£10million striker Odsonne Edouard.
The club supremo said: “We did bring in a number of players. We brought in a record transfer fee in Odsonne Edouard at £10million.
“But I think it’s fair to say it was a frustrating time for us all. The market is very, very difficult, very complicated and, despite everybody working so hard to strengthen the squad further, I think we all left the window a little bit frustrated.
“That’s not due to the fact that we didn’t want to invest, there IS money there that we will invest. Our priority in every window is to come out stronger than we went in.
“And we are intent that, going into January, we will again make every effort to make sure the squad is strengthened.”
He added: “We’re in great shape. We’ve got a very strong balance sheet.
“Last year we made around £17million profit. That was mainly through the sale of players. We had a sell-on for Virgil van Dijk and also had a transfer fee for Stuart Armstrong.
“So, we can see that the club is actually break-even with Champions League. We reinvest everything that comes in. All the Champions League money goes back into the club.
“We have cash in the bank, we’re looking to invest that in the club, into the squad, into the team and to our facilities.
“So, for the challenges that we will face going ahead, we’re in a really great place.”
*Lawwell was speaking to Celtic TV.
