Charlie Nicholas believes Brendan Rodgers is firmly in the driving seat at Celtic — but has warned the club hierarchy not to test the manager’s patience in the transfer market.
The former Celtic star reckons Rodgers is in full control as he enters the final year of his contract, with key talks looming over a potential extension. But Nicholas suggests the Irishman won’t hesitate to walk away if he doesn’t receive the backing he feels is required to elevate the squad.
Rodgers returned to Celtic two years ago following Ange Postecoglou’s departure, inheriting a treble-winning side but one with clear areas needing strengthened. Despite over £60million being spent across the last two years — including record deals for players like Adam Idah and Arne Engels — Nicholas says there’s still plenty of work to be done.
“Brendan Rodgers is in a position where he is in control of a situation that you want to be in,” Nicholas told Record Sport. “From the first time when he left, he was in a bit of turmoil with Peter Lawwell, who wasn’t giving him the funds that he was demanding.”
That previous fallout with Lawwell in 2019 still looms large, and Nicholas clearly sees similarities of that situation if the summer recruitment doesn’t match Rodgers’ ambition.
“Last season, he was given the funds he was supposedly demanding, and did the team improve? I don’t think they improved last season,” he said. “There are five or six players that need to go out and they’ve brought in five players, but none are magical signings.”
Rodgers will have spoken to majority shareholder Dermot Desmond pre- or post-game in Cork this week. The Irish millionaire was in attendance as Celtic beat Cork 2-1. Surely, there has been an indication one way or the other if Rodgers will be around.
“If the transfer market is not going to be kind to him or if he’s not getting help in the market, he will not be happy and that might just back him to say, this season could be my last,” Nicholas added.
With high expectations heading into a season that could include Champions League group stage football, Rodgers will need serious backing to compete — particularly given Nicholas’ claim that a couple of £6m-calibre signings are likely required.
“The last couple of times Brendan needed to strengthen in the summer, he ended up spending £10m on Odsonne Edouard from PSG, he bought Adam Idah last season for £9m and Engels for £11m,” Nicholas noted. “So I would be simply amazed if there was not at least one or two players hitting the £6m bracket that he’s targeting to bring in this summer.”
Celtic have made steady moves in the early part of the window, but the clock is ticking — and so is the manager’s patience.
