CELTIC CONFIDENTIAL: The two key positions Brendan Rodgers wants to sign in January, plus proposals to give Celtic Park its own ‘Yellow Wall’
Celtic have identified two new positions they want to strengthen during the January transfer window.
At the top of the Scottish Premier League, preparing for a Premier Sports Cup final with Rangers and challenging for the Champions League last 16 play-offs, Parkhead has £77 million in its bank account.
And Brendan Rodgers wants to use some of that money to sign a left-wing wide man and a young third striker as back-up to Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah.
Daizen Maeda remains the first choice on the left flank, while veteran James Forrest provides cover from the bench.
Honduran winger Luis Palma has struggled to make any impact. He fills the role of unused substitute and plays only three hours of club football all season.
Palma scored a double in a 2-0 CONCACAF Nations League win for Honduras against Mexico last week and dedicated his goals to his late grandmother, who recently passed away. His international form could convince clubs to give him a chance at first-team football.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has a very clear plan on how he wants to strengthen his squad
Daizen Maeda is currently the first choice on the left flank and has also played as a central point up front
Winger Luis Palma is currently out of favor but his form for his country could attract interest
Rodgers spoke in August about the potential need for a younger third striker who would provide cover for Kyogo and Idah.
The Parkhead boss was satisfied Maeda could fill the role if required and admitted other roles were a bigger priority this summer.
The makeover of the main stand was a success
It appears the proposed redevelopment of Celtic’s Main Stand will become a key part of the club’s AGMs in the coming years.
The fact that the structure has long passed its shelf life cannot be ignored forever. And with a waiting list for season tickets of around 20,000, it’s not hard to see why supporters are pushing for the construction of a new centerpiece to take the stadium’s capacity from 60,000 to somewhere between 70,000 and 80,000.
But with borrowing costs still high and estimates for a rebuild currently in the region of £100m, it doesn’t look like this will happen anytime soon.
Could it be that the traditional Celtic end of the ground is getting a makeover sooner?
At last week’s AGM, a supporter asked CEO Michael Nicholson about a proposal to emulate Borussia Dortmund’s Yellow Wall by installing rail seats at that end.
And while Nicholson pointed out that the idea came from a supporters group, he wasn’t exactly successful.
Celtic Park is often sold out and many would like to see the capacity increase to 80,000
Dortmund’s famous Yellow Wall has a standing section that Celtic fans would love to emulate
“We have to look at the practical aspects of it, where that might be located and what the technical challenges would be,” he explained.
‘We will always ensure that we take into account the views of our supporters across the stadium before we do anything.
‘It feels to me as if there is an instinctive demand for it. On Wednesday evening I was at Stamford Bridge for the women’s match. They have a safe position behind both goals.
‘It appears to be an area of interest for many supporters.’
Celtic’s well-documented money in the bank has certainly captured the imagination of supporters.
One shareholder indicated that if part of it were spent on building a new main stand, the shortfall could be covered by a crowdfunding programme.
Others believe the club’s healthy surplus could be put to better use by subsidizing tickets, especially at a time when people are struggling with the cost of living.
It was suggested that the club could use around £5 million to reduce the price of a season book by £100 per person.
Despite the huge amounts of cash in the bank, it’s unlikely fans will see a reduction in subscription fees
As extraordinarily sensible as the suggestion seems, it doesn’t look like it will come from first base.
“It’s an area and a topic that you wouldn’t believe how much time we spend on it every year,” says Chief Financial Officer Chris McKay.
‘In recent years we have increased season ticket prices in line with inflation. If you look underneath that, the actual inflation the company is exposed to is much, much greater than that.
‘We have therefore indeed decided not to fully pass on the cost increases and to limit them to that number.
‘That number means you have to pay hardworking employees more or pay energy bills. People probably appreciate going crazy because of their home situation; our rates bill with Glasgow City Council has almost doubled, so we’ve absorbed a lot of that over the last few years.
‘But nevertheless we recognize that as an issue for the supporters.’
Training bases are a source of great pride for Rodgers
Celtic’s £20 million upgrade to its training facilities at Barrowfield will see the academy and women’s teams move in in January.
Largely invisible are a number of improvements the club has made to the men’s first team facilities at Lennoxtown.
Barrowfield has undergone a £20 million makeover and is set to open in January
A new, state-of-the-art medical center has been installed to ensure the best care for the club’s top players.
Manager Brendan Rodgers praised the Parkhead board for their commitment to ensuring the best care for his side, saying: ‘It’s a great honor for the board and the club as it’s something they always want to do.
“They always want to improve, whether it’s the facilities or anything to do with performance, both in Lennoxtown and here at the stadium.
“So the new facility that we have on the training ground in terms of the medical center… there are other areas that want to be improved as well.
‘And it’s important that you continue to do that, because the game is constantly evolving, both on and off the pitch. As a football club, we want to continue these improvements.’
Why Forrest’s record-breaking trophy crop may be fleeting
James Forrest’s new one-year extension at Celtic has attracted extra attention as it puts him in pole position to become the most decorated player in the club’s history.
However, if he does make that record his own later this season, chances are it won’t last long.
Forrest has won 24 senior trophies over the course of his career since his debut in the 2009-10 season and is currently one behind Lisbon’s Lion Bobby Lennox in the all-time list.
James Forrest is approaching his 25th piece of silverware, which could rival Lennox
With Celtic hot favorites for the league title and already in the Premier Sports Cup final, the 33-year-old winger will be looking to take his chances to pick up a few more gongs this season and secure his place in history.
The problem is that Callum McGregor is already hot on his heels. The 31-year-old Celtic captain has 22 medals to his name and gave up international football after the 2024 European Championship to extend his club career.
Forrest seems destined to make a bit of history in the coming months, but the smart money would be on McGregor surpassing his performance in the short term.