Rodgers ‘confident’ Celtic will improve squad

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is “very confident” the club will be able to add “quality” to their squad but cautioned it may not happen in January.

Rodgers repeated his stance that Celtic need to improve their player pool.

“It doesn’t necessarily all have to be in January because the right players might not be available,” he said.

“If in January we can do that then I’m pretty sure the club will give us every chance to improve the team.

“The supporters have every right to demand the highest level. That’s what we demand here also. The next step is the European side and that’s why I came back, to hopefully be able to fulfil that in my time here.

“There’s no doubt now that, one, the squad will come down in numbers and obviously we need to add quality. We don’t need quantity of players, you need quality and that’s how you improve.”

Rodgers, whose Scottish Premiership leaders visit St Johnstone on Sunday at lunchtime, expects Liel Abada, Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda to boost his side upon their return from injury.

“I felt, when I came in here in the summer, with the squad that was already in place from last season, that we probably needed four players,” he said.

“By that, I meant four quality players to add to the squad. Now, how the game works, you lose players and there were players that were earmarked to come here prior to me coming here.

“That’s absolutely fine, there’s no problem, we have got young talents here that will develop and grow and that’s the model of the club, but of course, to continue to improve and grow you need to also have players who are established because they help bring those players up.

“And I am very, very confident that we can do that over the coming windows.”