Celtic haven’t made many moves in the transfer window so far, and fans have started to take notice. Frustration is building, with Brendan Rodgers taking most of the heat.
Supporters are wondering why Celtic seem slow to spend while rivals are busy adding to their squads. It’s hard to watch others strengthen while your own team stands still. It feels like the club are holding back, maybe too much, at a time when they should be pushing forward.
Former striker Gordon Dalziel thinks he knows why things have stalled. He believes wages could be the issue. Rodgers wants to improve the team, but Dalziel says the club might not be willing to match the kind of salaries now needed to bring in top players.
Dalziel doesn’t sugar-coat the situation. He gets why fans are disappointed, and says he feels the same way. He also says Rangers have done more and better business this summer, making the gap in transfer activity all the more clear.
He said: (Open Goal), “Brendan’s saying, ‘I want to progress, I want to kick on,’ so they’re going for better, top players, the point was made.
“But they might be shopping in a market now where the wages are different.
“They might be looking and thinking, ‘We’re not going to 50 grand a week, 60 grand a week.’
“That’s what might be happening. People just automatically think Celtic aren’t paying the money, and I totally agree with the fans.
“I’d be disappointed. I think Rangers have done better transfer business.”
Dalziel’s comments come as Celtic fans feel the club have stumbled out of the blocks. The suggestion that wages are now too high for Celtic to match points to tighter spending. That might be sensible on the books, but it won’t ease fans’ desire to see new signings and progress on the pitch.
Rodgers has made it clear he wants to move forward, but he could be stuck working within a pay structure that doesn’t match what players now expect. His ambition is obvious, but the budget might not be up to it. That gap is adding to the growing tension and discontent.
By highlighting Rangers’ transfer work, Dalziel is echoing a wider concern that Celtic are falling behind. The comparison hurts, especially when fans fear their club are losing ground to their biggest rivals at a key point in the season.
Celtic now face an important spell in the window. If money really is tight, they’ll need to be smart with how they spend it. The club must prove they can still strengthen without splashing out. But if the drive to improve isn’t backed properly, they could lose more than just momentum, they could lose the backing of the support.
