Celtic's 2025/26 Summer transfer window: needed and wanted!

I think we will sign another CB, and offload the three others you mentioned, and I think we will be seeking to offload Trusty too, for £6M, he is not up to the mark.

Regardless of what people think of Liam Scales, I am sure he will stay, because he is the apple of Brendan's eye.

 

You're probably right there. But getting KT in, AJ fit and a couple of good additions, 1 being DMF in the middle of the park would certainly help the CBs out.

 

I see Ndidi is available on a £9M release clause this summer, not sure he is worth that at 28, but a very good defensive midfielder nevertheless.

 

We need more pace and power in the side as a given. But we also need more players that have the ability to go by a man and open up the space, particularly in midfield..

A centre back whos big, strong, quick and can play out/bring the ball out from the back comfortably. No cheap and easy to find but what's needed..

We need a strong, quick midfielder who's comfortable playing in tight spaces/being pressed and good box to box..

We need a strong, quick striker who's pretty clinical, can link the play and play with his back to goal..

That's 3 essential signings that are needed through the spine of the team alone..

 

Bernardo gad a good first part to the season . I like him and feel he will turn good. Has to be part of future planning

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Agreed, same goes with Engels. Two boys who have it in them to be proper Champions League level midfielders. Think too many are eager to write these guys off if they show a bit of inconsistency but really, if you think in terms of them building their game over 3/4/5 seasons it's well worth just giving them the space to work at it.

The talent is clearly there, for me they'll both go up another level next year and start to dominate bigger games against better opposition. One quality midfielder is all we need this summer imo.

 

Aye badly lack someone in the mould of Mcginn/Armstrong/Christie that can go box to box with boy of power and pace and go by players with the ball

 

screaming for a more physical CDM and we have been for years.

 

I'll be amazed if we don't lose Maeda and Hatate and I wouldn't be surprised if we lose CCV and Kühn too. We also need a backup LB and a CB. So I think we need 5 or 6 players not including KT.

 

CCV has had quite a few injuries, I actually think if a team wanted him they would have bought by now.

I don't think both Kuhn and Maeda go, it's one or the other.

 

Brendan Rodgers believes that if the Celtic squad remained untouched this summer, he'd need three more quality players to fully bolster his options.


The Celtic manager is aware that nobody departing is unlikely and that exits are possible, given his team's performance over the last 12 months and the club's position in the wider cash-rich transfer market.

However, his comments give an insight into what he thinks about Celtic's squad depth right now.

Asked on Friday about his previous comments on refreshment and change in his squad this summer, Rodgers said, "Change will just naturally take place. If every player was here in the squad and every player was staying, I would say, I look at it, I'd probably need three players to add to what we have, of quality. But that's probably not going to be the case [that every player will stay].

"There will be interest in players, I'm pretty sure, because of the level the team has been at. Then we have to assess it from there. Then I think players that maybe aren't playing so much will move on.


"So then all of a sudden you have change. It's good that we have to do that to progress. This team have been absolutely brilliant over the couple of years I've been here. But I think there will be some natural movement come the summer.



Either way, we look to come back in pre-season and by the end of the window and the summer and be stronger."

Positions for Celtic to seek transfer answers
Rodgers was public about his desire to sign another striker in January after Kyogo Furuhashi's departure, so it's easy to surmise this would continue to be a priority in the summer.

A winger could also be required, especially after Jota's serious injury, which may well leave him out for the rest of the calendar year.

With the left-back situation unclear despite Kieran Tierney's return and the midfield potentially needing different rotation and tactical options, Celtic certainly have a lot of transfer work to get on with.

As Rodgers notes, that's even before you consider any potential exits with speculation surrounding Reo Hatate, Nicolas Kuhn, Daizen Maeda and Alistair Johnston over the last few months.

A fourth successive title was delivered this season and there's a treble on the cards, too. However, it's clear that the Celtic boss is not looking to rest on those successes.

 

Jota’s injury the type it’s rumoured to be, and its not confirmed, if it is ACL and meniscus next year is a right off.

I think we need to go all out for a real quality loan option for a year to replace him.

 

Whatever we can get back for Trusty, Idah and Engles this summer take it. Put it in the bank for the new manager in 2026. Do not give Rodgers and Tisdale a * penny in the summer. Their signings are beyond woeful. Would rather sign nobody than players of that calibre again!

 

We will need to spend big this summer ; We need a striker as it is as well as a CM and CB, Jota replacement as well as replacing any of AJ, CCV, Maeda, Kuhn if they go. We could be bringing in 6 or 7.

 

What I want - a left sided first choice centre half. Back up left back. A 6 capable of doing a job when CM isnt there, a creative number 8, a left winger and a striker..

What we’ll get - striker and left back

 

Brendan Rodgers has admitted that he expects Celtic to do a lot of business in the transfer window this summer.


Last year, Celtic spent big money on the likes of Adam Idah, Auston Trusty and Arne Engels from Norwich City, Sheffield United and FC Augsburg, respectively, with these three acquisitions costing the club over £25 million in transfer fees.

Though his side are on the brink of a domestic treble, as well as making strides in the Champions League, Celtic’s manager expects another big summer transfer-wise at the club. “Yes, I think so,” said Rodgers, when asked if a lot of business would take place this summer concerning the squad.

“Again, we have to look at and adapt to situations as well. We all know fine well, here there's a player trading model, which means that we will probably get offers for some of our players in the summer. And if that happens, then we have to be flexible and be able to adapt to that.

“If I said that everyone now would be here, then you'd maybe only have a few, two to three players coming in of high quality, but we'll just have to see.”


Though players will likely join the club this summer, the inevitable fact of football is that some will leave in order to pursue new opportunities.

Despite this very likely scenario transpiring, Celtic’s manager insisted that all of his players are focused on the task at hand – completing a clean sweep of Scottish football. “Not at this point,” said Rodgers, when asked if any players had been agitating for a move away behind the scenes.

“I think they're all focused on finishing the season strong. And then they'll all have their own individual thoughts around that.

“But, at this moment in time, everyone's really focused on the season and finishing as strong as we can."

 

I think Rodgers comments are telling that there is a bit of uncertainty over a few players. He says we would only need 2 or 3 in if we keep everyone but then goes on to say he expects us to be busy.

I believe at least 2 of the following will leave, but more realistically 3 -

- Maeda
- Kuhn
- Hatate
- CCV
- Johnston

You then have a long list of players with no future at the club coming back from loans including -

- Lagerbielke
- Kwon
- Tilio
- Palma
- Welsh
- Nawrocki

There are then question marks over how much Rodgers rates -

- Yang
- Kenny
- Trusty
- Holm (on loan to January 26)

Finally, Bain is meant to be going and who knows if Taylor is staying or not. In total that’s a likelihood of at least 10 players from the list above leaving the club this summer. Now not all of them will be replaced but I would suggest you can easily double Rodgers 3 needed in addition to Tierney coming in and that’s before you consider a possible loan to cover Jota.

We really need to hit the ground running with getting those that are going shifted and a few faces in alongside KT to have a healthy squad going in to the new season.

In an ideal world there are positions we would want to strengthen like back up left centre back and move both Scales and Trusty on or back up right back but I cannot see those things happening as there will be too much to do on other positions that will take priority.

 

From our starting 11 the position that we can upgrade on the most is a CB partner for CCV I think. After that I think it depends on outgoings.

To a degree I think what Rodgers decides to do end of season will have a bearing on the level of business the club decide to do. If the board feel hes likely to move on end of season then they will probably be more conservative and I think it will be a quieter window.

 

If we dont lose anyone I expect we will sign a striker and a centre half, hopefullly both at a level they can go straight in. I think we may bring in another winger, especially with Jota out for a long time, but Im doubtful that we will splash the cash given we already have Maeda and Kuhn and Jota when fit.

If Taylor moves we will need a back up left back.

I cant see us spending decent money on a centre midfielder. Its already pretty crowded in there and we have decent depth with McCowan and Bernardo on the bench. I get the argument for a defensive midfielder but im not sure if it will be a priority given we dont need one in domestic footballer.

So in short, a real flagship signing up front and at the back and a decent new winger and Id be happy.

 

Im not mad on our midfield under Rodgers. Like a lot of fans I think its too lightweight and needs more grunt in there. Raskin has looked the best midfielder on the pitch in the last few Old Firms where our midfield has struggled to exert control.

Its not really clear though the extent to which Rodgers is happy with the mdfield as it is and whether he feels it needs extra physicality in there. I think hes totally on set on McGregor at 6 and obviously views him as key to making the team tick. Conscious McGregor is ageing now though and realistically we shouldnt be looking for as many minutes out of him now.

For me Engles and Hatate together are fine for most of the SPL teams but too lightweight for bigger games. Both can produce moments of quality but struggle to really make a midfield tick. I dont think either of them hide but they can struggle to exert influence. Defensively they dont offer enough for higher quality teams.

Ideally Id prefer a midfield of McGregor, Hatate / Engles / Bernardo plus a more physical and athletic midfielder in there. If Hatate were to leave Id prefer we replaced him with a midfielder with more of a physical presence.

Not sure that how Rodgers sees it though.