TRANSFER PROBLEM: BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD FOR BRENDAN

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THERE are a few transfer problems for Brendan Rodgers to address as he attempts to strengthen his first-team squad.

One is obviously the goalkeeper’s position with the No.1 spot vacated by Joe Hart after the 37-year-old netminder’s decision to retire following his three years and seven honours at Parkhead.

Rodgers is looking to add to his central defence and has been linked with Burnley’s Dara O’Shea, as CQN reported.

There are also indications Benfica midfielder Paulo Bernardo and Norwich City striker Adam Idah will return after last season’s successful loan spells.

BY THE LEFT…Greg Taylor in control at the back.

However, there is another position that urgently needs a solution and that is at left-back where Greg Taylor is the only experienced No.3 at the champions.

Rodgers allowed Alexandro Bernabei to leave on loan for Brazilian side SC Internacional on March 7 with TWELVE games still to play and no cover for the Scotland international.

The Argentinian flop cost £3.75million when he arrived from top-flight outfit Lanus in July 2022 and still has three years of his contract to run.

Bernabei is due back at the end of the year, but it is clear there is no future for him in Glasgow and the Hoops will not be difficult to deal with to remove him from the pay roll.

If Taylor had been injured in the run-in to the campaign it would have forced Rodgers to take Liam Scales out of the middle of the rearguard or play right-footed Anthony Ralston in an unaccustomed position on the opposite flank.

Thankfully, the former Kilmarnock defender, signed by Neil Lennon for £1.25million in September 2019, came through unscathed and an emergency was averted.

ON THE BALL…Alexandro Bernabei in action during the 2-1 win over Hibs at Easter Road in February, just a month before his loan move to Brazil.

Rodgers scoured the market in January for back-up and was linked with four potential recruits – Manchester City’s Sergio Gomez, Leicester City’s Luke Thomas, Wolves’ Hugo Bueno and Liverpool’s Owen Beck.

The last named had impressed in the first half of the season while on loan at Dundee, but any possibility of a move to the champions was scuppered when Jurgen Klopp played the Welsh Under-21 international defender for seven minutes in the fading moments of his team’s 4-0 win at Bournemouth.

Beck had returned to Anfield after his first stint on Tayside had expired, but he made a Dens Park comeback when the clubs agreed a second temporary switch.

Under FIFA regulations, of course, no player can make an appearance for three clubs in one season.

So, it’s back to the drawing board for Rodgers as he seeks a resolution for a key position in his back four.

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