Brendan Rodgers has made a surprising admission following Celtic’s Champions League exit, saying he has no idea if the club’s transfer budget will change before Monday’s deadline.
Celtic now drop into the Europa League after a poor showing over two legs against Kairat Almaty, missing out on the money and status that come with reaching the Champions League group stage. With Thursday night football now ahead, focus has turned to whether the club will make any late moves in the market.
Rodgers was asked directly if the big difference in prize money between the two competitions would affect transfer plans, and he made it clear he didn’t know. His answer pointed to a worrying lack of communication between the manager and those in charge at board level during such a key moment in the season.
It’s raised major concerns about how the club is being run, with figures like Dermot Desmond and Michael Nicholson now under real pressure. For a manager with Rodgers’ experience to admit he’s in the dark about the budget is highly unusual and hugely concerning.
When asked ‘given the financial gulf between the Europa League and the Champions League, does that impact at all on what you will do between now and the close of the window?’
He said: (BBC Sport), “I haven’t a clue.
“I really don’t know.”
Rodgers’ comments are as concerning as they are revealing. With six days left in the summer window, the manager appears to be in the dark over budget or recruitment plans, despite the club falling short in a high-stakes European qualifier. This is a club with Champions League ambitions being run without clear lines of accountability or planning.
Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s principal shareholder, and CEO Michael Nicholson will now face growing scrutiny from supporters demanding answers. Rodgers has repeatedly spoken this summer about the need for reinforcements. The idea that he doesn’t even know the budget suggests a disconnect at the very top of the club.
It also raises questions about decision-making structures. Who sets the strategy? Who controls the purse strings? For a club of Celtic’s size and ambition, these answers should not only be known internally, but communicated clearly to the manager leading the project.
Supporters will rightly feel disillusioned hearing these quotes. Rodgers was brought back to deliver European progress and domestic dominance. If he is being left out of the loop on major transfer matters, then the problems at Celtic Park stretch far beyond the touchline.
