Celtic win Scottish Premiership title: What’s next for Brendan Rodgers and the Championship side? | Football News

Celtic have secured a 3rd consecutive Premier League title and are only one win away from a double, however what’s subsequent for Brendan Rodgers and the Scottish champions?

Rodgers’ shock return to Celtic final summer season was not properly obtained by some followers because of the approach he moved to Leicester Metropolis in 2019. , addressed followers with a easy however daring message: “For these of you I have to persuade, I am going to see you right here in Might.”

It was Maye and Rodgers who continued the sample of unprecedented success. Celtic have gained 18 of the 24 championships within the twenty first century, and that is the 54th championship within the membership’s wonderful historical past. In the identical interval, in addition they gained 10 League Cups and 11 Scottish Cups – with the ultimate nonetheless coming in opposition to Rangers.

The Hoops group are additionally unbeaten in opposition to their Glasgow rivals in 4 league video games this season, successful three of them.

Domestically, there isn’t any doubt that Celtic are aiming to proceed and improve their dominance. However except for the bread and butter of the Scottish Premiership, what are the membership’s and Rodgers’ priorities for the summer season and subsequent season?

Champions League adjustments

The panorama in Europe is altering this yr. The Champions League as we knew it now not exists. It will likely be a 36-team league earlier than reaching the knockout levels, of which the Celtics will even be a component.

In the course of the league part, they’ll play one-off fixtures in opposition to eight groups – 4 at dwelling and 4 away – between September and January. The highest 8 groups within the league will advance to the spherical of 16. – Losers – might be eradicated and won’t be relegated to the Europa League.

Celtic see this new Champions League format and the wealth that comes with it as large potential for development in fashionable standing and competitiveness. Prize cash for league matches alone and elevated TV and matchday income might attain round £60m.

The Hoops are concentrating on the play-offs, which is able to give Celtic no less than 10 Champions League video games till February. They’ll play no less than eight video games. If gamers can say {that a} fifth of their season might be spent within the Champions League, the case for promoting the membership to gamers will increase. Moreover, they’ll have more cash to spend on charges, wages and ancillary bills. That is the place the expansion potential is – it might put Celtic on a extra stage taking part in discipline with golf equipment in comparable European positions.

Nevertheless, Celtic’s latest report in Europe – particularly within the Champions League – hasn’t been nice. There was just one victory within the group stage this season, a dead-end victory over Feyenoord at Celtic Park.

Home dominance is nice, however followers are hungry for Celtic to be aggressive on the European stage. It will likely be attention-grabbing to see how the brand new format impacts Celtic’s capacity to compete, and it is a problem that Rodgers and the followers ought to take pleasure in.

Will large stars depart this summer season?

Rodgers desires to maintain most of his prized property. He doesn’t need one other season of sudden departures, as he has confronted this season, with Jota, Karl Staffelt and Lil Abada all leaving the group beneath unexpected circumstances.

Celtic stars Matt O’Reilly, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Leo Hartart are all beneath surveillance from the Premier League and various golf equipment throughout Europe.

In January, the Hoops rejected a bid from Atletico Madrid for O’Reilly price round £20m. The Denmark worldwide is extra more likely to depart this summer season after a sensational season, however Celtic will search a club-record switch charge. Girona, Inter Milan and the highest six Premier League golf equipment are all .

O’Reilly will characterize Denmark, who’re in the identical group as England, on the European Championships, and if he performs properly in Germany and hasn’t been snapped up earlier than, that might additionally enhance his worth. Celtic stay in a superb place to insist on paying the proper charge, with O’Reilly signing a brand new four-year deal final September.

Regardless of some accidents, Carter-Vickers had one other stable season. West Ham United and different golf equipment throughout Europe are reportedly , however no concrete bids have been made. The US worldwide is known to be glad on the membership, having signed a brand new deal till the summer season of 2029 earlier this yr.

Hart’s season has been hampered by accidents for a lot of the season, however there is no doubt the Celtics might be higher and extra artistic with him on the group. He has additionally signed a brand new contract so the Championship facet can afford to maintain him, or preserve a good participant if the membership wants it. His omission from Japan’s Asia Cup squad is a blow, and his want to return could decide how he sees his future.

Different spending can also be essential in slimming down the squad. The membership might be allowed to go away in the event that they want to convey within the likes of James McCarthy, Gustav Lagerbjerg, Sid Hakbanovic, Mitch Johnston and Yuki Kobayashi. A call will even be made on Stephen Wales, who has attracted appreciable curiosity from Italy, France and Germany through the years, however Celtic have saved him as a back-up till the summer season of 2027 after signing him to a brand new deal.

The place ought to the Celtics strengthen?

Celtic followers could also be feeling a little bit of déjà vu when it comes to signing gamers because the membership enters its third switch window seeking to strengthen three precedence areas – goalkeeper, left-back and ahead.

Joe Hart will retire this summer season on the age of 37. Nevertheless, even when he does not retire, he’ll want an improve. The Celtics have been scouting the elite backup market earlier than, and that is possible an space they’ll discover once more.

A brand new goalkeeper shortlist might be drawn up forward of the summer season switch window because the Hoops look to determine targets early on. This season, Liverpool and Actual Madrid’s Andre Lunin are reportedly all in favour of Cowichan Kelleher, whereas the membership have additionally been holding tabs on Aston Villa goalkeepers Virjami Sinisalo and Atletico Madrid Liam Kelly of Thirwell et al. For his half, Kelleher might already be provided a first-choice function at one other Premier League membership. Subsequently, his worth will rise and could also be past the Celtics’ present affordability.

The necessity for left-back is clear, with Greg Taylor now having no competitors for the beginning XI. Alessandro Bernabe is on mortgage at Internacional Brasil till the top of December, so this might be a key place that must be stuffed.

Adam Idah’s mortgage transfer from Norwich Metropolis seems to be successful however Celtic don’t have any possibility to purchase within the deal. Different golf equipment from the Championship and Serie A are additionally within the participant, which might additionally push up his price ticket. But when it is not Date, Celtic might be on the lookout for a striker to supply Jingxiang with stiff competitors and provide one thing totally different.

If O’Reilly leaves, the membership will even have to decide on whether or not to enter the marketplace for midfielders. They’ve a £6m possibility to purchase in Paul Bernardo’s mortgage take care of Benfica. A call on whether or not to set off this might be made in June.

a approach of taking part in

Beneath Ange Postkoglu, Celtic have a transparent id and magnificence of play. It was a relentless wave of assaults. They beat different groups — normally within the first half. It was probably the most satisfying soccer sport Celtic followers have ever witnessed within the fashionable period. So, it is all the time tough for individuals who observe this.

Rodgers has returned the group to a extra affected person, possession-based fashion, however some really feel the group lacks a transparent approach of taking part in and sometimes depends on particular person brilliance and moments to win video games.

Whereas some groups have suppressed and annoyed the Celtics at instances, it is price noting that Rodgers needed to take care of loads of accidents all through the season, and he needed to alter and shuffle the group greater than he anticipated.

With Hartart, Carter-Vickers, Callum McGregor and others recovering, it is no coincidence that Celtic have been in the identical kind since Rodgers acquired his first beginning XI in April.

Going ahead, the Northern Irishman’s precedence might be to construct a group with a transparent id that may constantly carry out on the stage required to win in Scotland and compete in Europe. Whereas he does favor possession soccer, he’ll desire a extra attacking and ruthless fashion of soccer.

Promoting content material | Reside broadcast on Sky Sports activities now

Watch Sky Sports activities stay now and not using a month-to-month or daytime membership contract. Immediately watch stay motion from the Scottish Premiership, Premier League, EFL, F1 and extra.

Be taught extra right here…