Brendan Rodgers is on the verge of completing a dramatic return as Celtic manager.
It’s expected that the 50-year-old will be unveiled as the successor to Ange Postecoglou early this week after agreeing to take over at Parkhead for a second spell. Rodgers was expected to take time out of the game having been dismissed as Leicester City manager in April but a contract to make him the highest paid boss in the club’s history is reportedly being finalised.
It’s expected he will receive a considerable transfer budget, both to maintain Celtic’s domestic dominance and attempt to make the club more competitive in the Champions League. After Postecoglou’s departure for Tottenham Hotspur in the wake of a treble-winning season, Celtic considered a number of candidates, but Rodgers quickly emerged as the frontrunner.
He won seven trophies during a hugely successful first spell from 2016 to early 2019 before heading south for Leicester and the Premier League. His exit caused considerable anger among the Celtic support they now look ready to welcome back a man who previously delivered unprecedented success.
During his spell back in England, Rodgers won Leicester a first FA Cup in their history and twice narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification. But he did lead the Foxes to the semi-final of the Europa Conference League and will now target similar continental progress with the Premiership champions.
Celtic were unable to win any of their Champions league group stage matches last season, but it’s been reported a key negotiation point in bringing back Rodgers was a unified vision to improve performances in European competition over the coming years.
Rodgers will inherit a squad which completed a clean sweep of domestic silverware last season, beginning preparations for the new season at the club’s Lennoxtown training base before embarking on a pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea.
The new Premiership season is set to commence on the weekend of August 5 and 6, while the Champions League will begin again from September 19.
