Brendan Rodgers will not “beg” players to come to Celtic as he looks to streamline his squad while adding quality.
The Hoops boss will use the next two transfer windows to reach a place where he is happy with his group in terms of numbers and ability.
Speaking after the club’s AGM at Celtic Park, the Parkhead manager acknowledged the challenge of attracting quality players to Scottish football but outlined the huge opportunities of playing for Celtic, who are currently eight points clear of Rangers at the top of the cinch Premiership.
“I don’t want to add to the squad, we have a squad of 32 which we need to bring down as well as bring in quality players,” said Rodgers, who will assess Honduras attacker Luis Palma and Canada full-back Alistair Johnston when they return from international duty on Friday ahead of the cinch Premiership game against Motherwell on Saturday.
“But I am fairly comfortable that over the course of these next few windows that the squad both in terms of numbers and quality will look how I want it to.
“There will, naturally, be players who will want to go out and play, players who want to move on and we have to see if the players that are better than what we have are available to bring in. I can’t give you a number but there is always movement.
“It is always the challenge because lots of players will want to play in a more competitive league or more renowned leagues.
“But what Celtic offers here is really unique in terms of the opportunity to come and play for a fanatical fan base, to come and develop as a player, to become a winner, to live in a great city.
“There have been many players and managers, that once they have been here – and sometimes it is only when you are here – get that real sense of that.
“So we will always work hard but we won’t beg players to come.
“This is an incredible club to play for and if you are lucky enough to be able to come here and work and play you will get the sense of that. So that is something that is ongoing.”
While happy with his side’s domestic form this season, Rodgers believes Celtic’s Champions League position – bottom of Group E with one point from four fixtures ahead of their game against Lazio in Rome next Tuesday night – is not a reflection of their performances.
The former Liverpool and Leicester boss, who returned to Celtic Park for a second spell as boss in the summer following the departure of Ange Postecoglou to Tottenham, said: “From the Champions League perspective, I think there is a narrative around, I sense a little bit, the overall start.
“I think the players have been fantastic. If you take away the second half against Atletico Madrid, the players have been very good, the players have been excellent and getting better each performance.
“Very co-ordinated, you see the spirit in the team and in the other games we have been really competitive, even against Feyenoord with nine men.
“So I understand where we are at, it is a level where you have to have quality and experience, but experience also comes from gaining experience.
“But there is no doubt we have to be stronger going forward over the following seasons here, that was one of the big drivers to come back.”
Hurtig the hero after late goal sends Arsenal into Champions League quarters
Lina Hurtig's 89th minute winner ensured Arsenal progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women's Champions League after edging Juventus 1-0 on Thursday.
After being frustrated for large parts of the encounter, Hurtig bundled home from close range after Martina Lenzini's poor clearance to book the Gunners' place in the last eight.
Despite Arsenal dominating the early exchanges, it was Juventus who had the first sight of goal, though Eva Schatzer's effort was easy for Daphne van Domselaar to gather.
In a first half that saw just two shots on target, both coming from the visitors, Renee Slegers' substitutes proved to be the difference for Arsenal.
Slegers introduced Beth Mead, Stina Blackstenius and Hurtig late on, with the latter somehow putting Kim Little's cross over the bar from five yards out.
However, the Swede would atone for her earlier error, combining with fellow substitute Blackstenius to net against her former club and send them out of the competition with two group games remaining.
Meanwhile, in Group D, Barcelona edged closer to the quarter-finals of the competition with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Polten at the Generali Arena.
The reigning champions are still three points behind Manchester City following their 2-1 win over Hammarby, and know a win against the Swedes next month will see them progress.
Kika Nazareth opened the scoring in the 20th minute after capitalising on a mistake by Kamila Dubcova, notching her second nine minutes later from close range.
Barca found themselves three goals up at the break when Vicky Lopez netted her first goal in the competition to put the result beyond doubt.
There was also a landmark moment for Alexia Putellas, who netted her 200th goal for the club with a well-taken effort into the far corner.
Valentina Madl took some of the shine off an otherwise impressive display from the visitors, who have now taken their tally to 20 goals from their four matches in the competition.
Guardiola agrees two-year contract extension with Man City
Pep Guardiola will be Manchester City manager for at least two more seasons after 2024-25, after he signed a two-year contract extension on Thursday.
The 53-year-old was coming to the end of his City deal, which was due to expire at the end of the current campaign, but he has opted to remain at the Etihad Stadium.
The deal itself will take Guardiola's tenure at the club to over a decade, making him City's longest-serving manager since Les McDowall in 1963.
There had been suggestions that he may leave at the end of the season following the announcement that director of football Txiki Begiristain was on his way out.
Guardiola was strongly linked with the England job after Gareth Southgate resigned in the wake of their Euro 2024 final defeat, but the Football Association appointed Thomas Tuchel last month.
“Manchester City means so much to me," Guardiola said. “This is my ninth season here; we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club.
“That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.
“Thank you to everyone for continuing to trust and support me – The Owner, The Chairman Khaldoon, Ferran, Txiki, the players and, of course, the fans… everyone connected to Manchester City. It has always been an honour, a pleasure and a privilege to be here.
“I have said this many times before, but I have everything a manager could ever wish for, and I appreciate that so much.
“Hopefully, now we can add more trophies to the ones we have already won. That will be my focus.”
Having been appointed in 2016, Guardiola is by some distance Manchester City's most successful manager of all time, having won 18 major trophies during his time at the club.
That list includes their first-ever Champions League triumph in 2023 and six Premier League titles, including an unprecedented four on the spin.
He also boasts a 72.04% win percentage across all competitions, which is unsurprisingly the highest of any full-time City manager in history.
Shaw at the double as Man City progress in Champions League
Khadija Shaw scored twice as Manchester City beat Hammarby 2-1 to seal their place in the Women's Champions League quarter-finals.
Gareth Taylor's team entered Thursday's game with a perfect record in Group D, and their fourth win in as many European matches ensured they finished in the top two.
Shaw—the leading scorer in the Women's Super League this season with eight goals—put them ahead in the 31st minute, driving into the area after taking in Yui Hasegawa's pass before seeing her shot deflect into the top corner.
Shaw was booked for celebrating in front of the home fans despite appearing to have objects thrown at her from the stands, and Hammarby should have levelled when Julia Blakstad fired wide 10 minutes later.
The hosts did draw level three minutes into the second half as Ellen Wangerheim tapped home while City's Laura Blindkilde Brown was down appealing for a free-kick.
That parity was short-lived, though, as Shaw blasted into the top corner from 25 yards out, taking her overall tally for this season to 12 goals in all competitions.
In Group C, meanwhile, Bayern Munich lost their perfect record as they played out a 1-1 draw with Valerenga, boosting Arsenal's hopes of topping the pile.
Jovana Damnjanovic came off the bench to put Bayern ahead 15 minutes from time in Norway, but Elise Thorsnes headed home following an 88th-minute corner to snatch a point for the hosts.
Arsenal could now move within a point of Bayern when they face Juventus in Group C's other match later on Thursday.
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