Brendan Rodgers has given his clearest indication yet that Celtic will undergo a significant squad refresh this summer – even with a domestic treble still within reach.
The Hoops boss, who is preparing to enter the final year of his three-year deal, admitted that while silverware remains firmly in sight, he has been left frustrated by a noticeable drop-off in performance levels in recent weeks.
That frustration peaked following a shock 1-0 defeat to bottom-of-the-table St Johnstone – a result that has only strengthened his belief that new energy is needed in the dressing room.
Rodgers praised the support from the board by bringing Adam Idah and Arne Engels in for sizeable fees last year, but made it clear that standing still is not an option.
“The club and the board have been great,” he said. “You look at how we’ve improved in the summer, improved the squad. We will look to do that again in the summer. We can’t afford to be complacent. We always want to progress – we can’t afford to be content.”
Several key players who impressed earlier in the campaign have struggled to maintain their form, and Rodgers believes that only a fresh injection of talent will ensure Celtic stay ahead of the chasing pack.
“My ambition and the club’s ambition will be to always improve and be better – whether it’s facilities, whether it’s on the field – and we’ll look to do that again in the summer. I think it’s all about improvement,” he acknowledged.
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He also pointed to the natural cycle of change that comes with being at a club like Celtic, where the pressure of constant expectation means players can burn out or look elsewhere after a few years.
“There is a natural slide of players that move out and come in every three or four years,” he said.
“So, I think naturally that will happen. It's the nature of our model here, but it’s also the nature of players being here and maybe either hoping to move on or wanting to come away from the pressure that’s here – because three or four years of it, it’s a lot of pressure.”
Rodgers insists the club must be prepared to react accordingly.
“"I just think it's a natural progression for here but we always have to be ready to replace any players that go and the most important thing for us is improvement,” he said.
“We always want to improve the team, improve the hunger in the team. That’s always key – because one of the ways to succeed and guard against what I’ve been talking about is you need the freshness. It’s either that or the manager goes. It’s as simple as that."
The Celtic boss was candid in his assessment of what’s needed to maintain a winning culture in the long term.
“There is no rocket science in it. You cannot be at a club for a long period of time with the same group of players,” he added.
“Likewise, the same group of players need a different voice. But at this moment, it will be about improving the squad. I think change is needed. I think that’s the point. I think that freshness and that new energy coming into your squad alleviates any of that.”
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While the current squad remains focused on finishing the season strongly, Rodgers is already thinking beyond the final whistle in May.
“We will bring players in to challenge the squad and the team for the summer – that’s natural for any team,” he said.
“However this team does at the end of the season, come the end, we want to improve it. You can’t just sit on that, as the team needs the competition. So, either way, we will look to improve the squad.”
Even with trophies on the line, Rodgers has one eye firmly on what comes next. The message is clear: Celtic must evolve – or risk stagnation.
