Chris Sutton: Celtic are weaker than last season and need to strengthen

Former Celtic striker Chris Sutton says the champions’ squad is not as strong now as it was at the end of last season and the club needs to add signings.

Kieran Tierney, Shin Yamada and Benjamin Nygren are among those already recruited this summer but the squad has seen some high-profile deparrtures over the last year.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has talked about his wish to add quality so he can continue the progress made last season in Europe alongside domestic success and has suggested he wants more new arrivals who are first team starters.

Sutton thinks it’s evident that the club need to be moving soon to make new additions.

“I think there’s still work to be done for Celtic in the transfer season,” he said.

“If you look at the squad going into the season I think it’s a little bit light. Brendan Rodgers, everything I’ve seen him hint at or say [suggests he] feels the same.

“It’s fair to say that the squad right now isn’t as strong as the end of last season.

That’s not ideal but there’s still plenty of time left in the transfer window. Squad-wise there is still work to be done.”

Sutton sees his old position as one that definitely needs attention but sees wide players and a back-up left-back as other areas where recruits are required.

“Celtic sold Kyogo in January and I think Brendan talked about how he wanted to replace him then,” he said. “It didn’t happen and it hasn’t happened in the summer.

“If something happened to Daizen Maeda then the club are going to be in a bit of bother.

“Whether Brendan goes with Adam Idah this season, I think the jury is still out and towards the end of last season Brendan was leaving him out when Kyogo had gone.

“He’s still in the development phase so it could be a big season for him. Having said that, he did score 20 goals, which was impressive.

“Losing Nicolas Kuhn and with Jota injured they are short in some areas. I saw Greg Taylor at the airport heading out [to PAOK] and with Jeffrey Schlupp went back to his club though Kieran Tierney has come in as a big boost it still feels like there’s work to be done for Celtic to get to the level Celtic want to be.”

The defence of the Premiership title begins next week and there is a crucial Champions League play-off to come. Sutton says they don’t look ready quite yet, and the difference from last year is stark.

“They won the league in the first half of last season and they set off like a house on fire,” he said. “They had real momentum going into the season and they had a good pre-season.

“It doesn’t quite feel like that right now and there’s the the burden of the Champions League qualifiers and we know how big they are for the club. They’ve got to navigate their way through that.”