Rodgers agitated by transfer talk - but what do Celtic need to do?

Brendan Rodgers said on Thursday he was "hopeful" of adding to his Celtic squad.

Six days earlier, the manager had said there was "no news" when pressed on the chances of new additions. A week before, he had voiced frustration about a lack of movement in the market.

It is understandable that the Northern Irishman might find the constant queries a little trying.

And his patience cracked in the aftermath of Fridays routine 4-1 Premier Sports Cup win over Falkirk. "I dont know" was one repeated Rodgers reply to questions in a testy BBC Scotland interview.

As former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner said on Sportsound of his agitation and the line of questioning: "Its just that time of year."

The time when windows are soon shutting. When Champions League play-offs are looming. When fans - and managers, perhaps - want signings to hang their hopes on for the months ahead.

But how did the exchange unfold? What business have Celtic done so far? And where could they still use some fresh faces?

BBC Scotlands Alasdair Lamont had interviewed Rodgers pre-match and reconvened with him afterwards.

Once the discussion about the victory was done, talk turned to transfers and, in particular, whether any signings might arrive in time for Wednesdays crucial visit of Kairat Almaty.

Youve had to name a squad for the Champions League deadline, but you are allowed to name a further two players before the game. Do you see any likelihood of there being players to add to that squad?

Rodgers: I dont know. Ive just come out here after the game, so well wait and see. Weve named the squad and well wait and see what happens before the game. If not, thats the squad were going with.

Can you be optimistic about it? There must be things in the pipeline that I guess you think could go one way or another.

Rodgers: Okay, so let me repeat what I said. Ive just finished the game. I havent told you anything before the game and during the 90-odd minutes of the game.

"I dont know anything. I dont know anything. So there might be or there might not be. So we have the team that we have."

Okay. Cheers Brendan.

Celtic have paid fees for four players this summer - Benjamin Nygren from Nordsjaelland, Hayato Inamura from Albirex Niigata, Shin Yamada from Kawasaki Frontale and Callum Osmand from Fulham.

Nygren is the only one who so far looks like a potential first choice.

However, with Jota out injured until the end of the year and Nicolas Kuhn sold to Como, that still leaves Celtic a winger down.

Rodgers is still looking to replace Kyogo Furuhashi, who was sold in January, with fellow Japan international Yamada so far consigned to two half-hour appearances as a substitute, while fellow striker Osmand is playing for Celtics B team.

Another 19-year-old, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, has yet to feature since arriving on loan from Manchester City, as has fellow centre-half Inamura.

Kieran Tierney was the big-name arrival on a free from Arsenal, but with fellow Scotland international Greg Taylor joining PAOK and Jeffrey Schlupp exiting after his loan, Celtic are still short of left-back cover.

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In a TV interview after the game, Rodgers was more phlegmatic, pointing out that the assessment of Celtics summer business need not begin until the window closes late on Monday, 1 September.

That is still more than two weeks away, so time is on their side.

Bear in mind that, at this stage last season, Auston Trusty, Arne Engels and Luke McCowan had yet to arrive and Adam Idah was still holding a scarf above his head.

"Of course, I would have loved to have had other players in," Rodgers said on Premier Sports. "We need reinforcements, but I dont want to keep harping on about it. I dont need to beg for players that we need."

So who are those players? Or rather, in what positions are Celtic short?

Bonner talked about the need to identify cover for totemic captain Callum McGregor in midfield and his concerns about a lack of options at left-back to ease the pressure on Tierney.

But his primary concerns lie in the forward areas.

"We still need to find a striker who puts the ball in the back of the net," he said.

"Johnny Kenny played tonight and he didnt really have one on target, even though there were lots of crosses. Shin Yamada came on and didnt have as many opportunities to get on the end of things. Maybe its just the way Celtic play.

"Have they got enough in the wide areas? They take off James Forrest and put on Nygren. He doesnt really play wide; he plays inside. So thats maybe something else that still has to be answered."

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