BRENDAN RODGERS is planning a summer signing spree to strengthen Celtic.
The champions are on the cusp of their third successive title as they look for at least one point against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park tonight to make absolutely certain.
The Hoops can seal a league and Cup double in the second coming of the Irishman when they take on Philipe Clement’s Ibrox side in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden a week on Saturday.
Rodgers, though, admits he is NOT satisfied with the depth of his squad and he will be scouring the summer market to add more quality to what he has at his disposal at the moment.
“I am really excited about moving forward and moving into a bright future with the club. This season has been a real challenge and the squad is not as strong as I would like it to have been.
“What the players have given me until this point has been absolutely brilliant.
“Our job going forward next year is to be stronger, much stronger. That is something that is well underway.
“There are definitely positions that we’d like to have finalised sooner rather than later.
“Ideally, if we can do that, then great, but what’s really important for us this summer is getting the level of quality that I want into the squad.
“That will be absolutely key for the growth of this team.
“As I’ve said, the guys in this team have been absolutely fantastic this season, but next season we need more depth in the squad.”
“I was bringing into that team Stuart Armstrong, Ryan Christie – these guys have shown that they’re Premier League quality.
“I remember going away to Dubai to our training camp, and, in a proper game, the second team beat the starters 5-0.
“That gave me great food for thought then when I came back for the second part of the season.
“It was a proper football game and that told me the depth that was required.
“And I think that’s something that’s definitely required here because we lost a bit of that in the summer and no doubt that we’ll need to restructure that going forward.
“We’ve got some fantastic players here and we want to add to that.
”Every season has to be a learning season on and off the pitch. I’ve gained nothing but support from Michael Nicholson and the people here.
Images courtesy Celtic TV.
“But, going forward, the football strategy is very much there in terms of what it is we want to bring in.
“It’s not about numbers, it’s about increasing the quality of the squad. But that’s for later on, we still have a massive job to do over the next three games.”
The curtain will come down on a topsy-turvy campaign at Parkhead on Saturday when St Mirren provide the opposition.
Rodgers will then turn his attention to the Hampden showpiece for his fifth derby since his return. It’s clear the Irishman revels in these occasion with three wins and a draw in the previous encounters.
It’s all about tonight, though, and another crucial confrontation at a venue where the title kings have already lost twice.
This would be a fitting occasion to obliterate that sequence.
*DON’T miss the unbeatable match report and best action images from Kilmarnock v Celtic this evening – only in your champion CQN.
