FORMER Celtic goal hero Chris Sutton reckons it’s “scandalous” the champions are still chasing quality recruits with the Premiership due to kick off in a week’s time.
The one-time England international striker was Martin O’Neill’s first signing for the Hoops when he arrived in a £6million deal from Chelsea in July 2000.
Sutton had time to settle in before scoring the winner against Dundee United in the league opener at Tannadice at the end of that month.
But the ex-hitman believes his old team are scurrying to get reinforcements into the building as the rigours and challenges of a new campaign are about be presented to Brendan Rodgers.
Sutton asks: “What is going on here with Celtic?
ITALIAN JOB…Brendan Rodgers watches Celtic collapse against Ajax in Como.
“The new season is a week away. The Champions League play-off is just over four weeks away. And the team is far weaker than the one that finished the season.
“It’s not like the club is strapped for cash, yet they are now facing a scramble to get the players they desperately need in the door.
“Brendan Rodgers has been clever about it in his comments in the media. He tried to clean up the stuff about some signings being ‘club investments’ by saying he’s got the final say over all incomings.
“But that is not the point. It’s not about where these players are coming from – it’s about the level they are at.
“We’ve seen the project players coming in and he’s made it crystal clear he needs more experienced ones in the door and quickly.
“So where are they?”
Sutton, speaking to the Daily Record, continued: “The same names have been bandied around for weeks now and there’s plenty of talk about the transfer fees and whatever.
“If they want these guys in the building then why wait? Just go out and get them.
AIR WE GO…fans’ favourite Kyogo Furuhashi celebrates one of his 85 Celtic strikes.
“If they don’t want to come, then go elsewhere. Celtic can’t afford to hang about until they make up their minds or until their clubs drop their valuations.
“Why weren’t the replacements in the pipeline before players left?
“Kyogo Furuhashi apparently made noises about going months before he departed. You could argue Nicolas Kuhn looked like he was going long before the end of the season.
“Those were not surprises so plans should have been in place. Rodgers was talking about needing to refresh his squad back in the spring.
“To be still saying it going into August is scandalous.”
The media pundit added: “I get the uncertainty around Rodgers’ future with his contract running down. But there is always uncertainty around every manager and it shouldn’t mean there’s a reluctance to bring in new recruits.
“This is too important a time to be dithering.
GONE BHOY…Nicolas Kuhn celebrates one of his 21 goals for Celtic last season.
“The word Rodgers used the other evening was ‘ambition’ – and he doesn’t use that lightly.
“We’ve been here before with him. It’s almost like he’s challenging the board to back his vision.
“I don’t blame him. When he came back the talk was about how he’s been promised funds to take the club to the next level, to compete in Europe and hammer home their dominance in Scotland.
Can anyone seriously say that is how it looks right now? If anything, they have left the door open for Rangers and they are taking a serious gamble on the Champions League.”
Before the European test, the champions face St Mirren a week tomorrow in Flag Day in the east end of Glasgow to kick-start their quest for their fourth successive title, their fourteenth championship in 15 years and a record 56th crown in the club’s illustrious history.
There could be a whirlwind of transfer activity in the coming weeks as Rodgers attempts to put his Celtic jigsaw together.
