Brendan Rodgers has revealed he may turn to Celtic’s academy rather than the transfer market to help plug the gap left by departing defenders Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke – a move that will no doubt leave some fans uneasy ahead of a demanding season.
The manager’s comments came after Friday night’s pre-season win over Queen’s Park, with Rodgers naming Dane Murray as a player he’s considering for increased first-team involvement.
“I always look from within,” he told CeltsAreHere. “Obviously, we have Dane here. We’ve got Auston. We’ve got Scales. I think we’ll definitely look to bring in another one. But I would always look for our own first. Hopefully, if Dane can stay fit and be available, then he’s one that can be in and around it.”
Murray, still only 22, has endured a stop-start career since his promising breakthrough. He made his Champions League qualifier debut under Ange Postecoglou and was seen as a future first-team regular. However, repeated injury setbacks have stalled his development.
He then made his Champions League debut against Aston Villa, after being recalled from Queens Park, where he was on loan.
Celtic’s need for a strong, reliable centre-back to partner Cameron Carter-Vickers is clear. While Rodgers’ faith in the club’s youth system is commendable, it remains to be seen whether Murray – who hasn’t put together a consistent run of senior games – can realistically be that man.
And Celtic need to upgrade on Trusty and Scales, who just aren’t of the quality required to take the club forward in Europe.
With Nawrocki set for a move to Hannover and Lagerbielke also heading for the exit, the pressure is now on Celtic’s recruitment team to find a dependable defender. Rodgers says one more will come in, but given the club’s ambitions, particularly in Europe, it’s a call that needs to be spot-on.
