Brendan Rodgers confident Celtic squad will be 'ready to go' by end of transfer window

Brendan Rodgers is confident that Celtic will get the players required to move the squad forward before the transfer window slams shut.

The Premiership champions have made seven new signings this summer, with the likes of Kieran Tierney, Benjamin Nygren, Shin Yamada, and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey being brought to bolster the side.

But with Nicolas Kuhn departing, Jota out injured and still no obvious replacement for Kyogo Furuhashi, who was sold in January, many, including the manager himself, feel they are still a bit light in the forward areas.

However, Rodgers has been about the club long enough to know how those above him get it right more often than not, and is hopeful that will be the case again.

And while he would prefer deals to be done quicker, he has faith that the board and scouting staff will have his squad ready by the end of this month.

When asked about the current state of play regarding transfers, he said: “There’s no news. I have nothing new for you. We are very clear on what we need to improve, and there is a lot of work going on, clearly, by ourselves and probably every club. That is the reality of this time of the year.

“For us, I know the work that Paul (Tisdale) and the staff are putting in, so we are hoping we can get some deals done that will improve the squad.

“As a football club, we want to have the best possible squad that we can have to get through the season.

“I’ve mentioned before that a manager always wants it now, to prepare the team as early as we can, but we know the window shuts at the end of August, and hopefully by then everything will be in place and ready to go.

“There are many things that go into it, I don’t do the deals, but I know that behind the scenes there is a lot of work and a lot of discussions going on to conclude deals.

“So I am hopeful that come the end of this window we will have those deals concluded and we will get the players in to held us move forward.

“My focus at this moment is to make sure the players who are here are in the best possible condition and mindset to play the games.

“I think the board have shown over many years that the work will get done, as a group that runs the club and has run it so well over a number of years, they will have to get what they feel is the best value.

“Of course, as managers, coaches and supporters, you just want the best players, but ultimately the club will be run in a way that the best players and best value is there to be made, and that sits above me.

“There has been business done, in terms of bringing players in, but I am very clear on what I feel we need to improve the overall squad, and I am very hopeful that we can do that.”

The Hoops are preparing for a trip to Aberdeen on Premiership duty this Saturday as they continue the defence of their title.