In a recent interview with Football Scotland, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers shed light on the club’s approach to the transfer window, emphasising the challenges and realities faced by a club in Celtic’s position.

Rodgers, who continues to significantly impact Celtic’s success, highlighted the financial constraints that the club operates under, especially when compared to Premier League and Championship clubs. He stated:

“You look at the Premier League or even the Championship. It’s a very expensive market for players and wages. That is a real challenge for a club like ourselves. Coming back here, that was something I had to understand better, and why I took that time to decide. The club has to be sustainable while being successful. But it’s understanding where it is at in terms of what you can and can’t do.”

Celtic’s transfer strategy has recently been a subject of admiration, with the club successfully identifying and nurturing talents from less popular markets. Players like Virgil van Dijk, Dembélé, and Ajer have been bought for modest fees and later sold for substantial profits.

Rodgers further expressed his commitment to working with the players provided to him, focusing on their development to ensure both individual and club success:

“I’ll always work with the players the club provide me and try to develop them to be the best they possibly can. This hopefully makes the club successful and allows them to move on, make money and we go again.”

While this approach has led to domestic success, it has yet to translate into European football. Celtic now find themselves struggling in the Champions League, often regarded as cannon fodder. The chasm between the club and other European powers continues to widen as Celtic operates within the constraints of Scottish football.

These insights from Rodgers provide a clear understanding of Celtic’s transfer philosophy, reflecting a pragmatic and sustainable approach that has allowed the club to compete at a high level domestically. However, the challenge of bridging the gap in European competition remains a significant hurdle, one that the club must address to regain its stature on the continental stage.