Brendan Rodgers has flown to Dublin for a crucial transfer summit with Celtic’s major shareholder Dermot Desmond, as the club plans for January and beyond.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, also involved chief executive Michael Nicholson and finance director Chris McKay, highlighting the importance of aligning the club’s football and financial strategies.
With Celtic in need of reinforcements, Rodgers is keen to bring in a left-sided winger following James Forrest’s injury, which rules him out for six weeks.
Additionally, speculation surrounding a possible return for Scotland defender Kieran Tierney has gathered pace, with Rodgers refusing to dismiss the idea.
Speaking about the importance of forward planning, Rodgers said:
“I think we said before, you don’t wait for the future to plan for it. It has been the great aspect of here. We have a board and a major shareholder who are so invested in the club and the success of the club and how they lead the club.
“You only need to look over the last couple of decades, how the club has been run and organised, which is at the very, very highest level of any business, how it can be. But there’s also a real passion for the team, clearly, to do well as well. So it’s so important.
“Dermot is absolutely entrenched in his whole role of Celtic as a major shareholder, but also as a supporter. The first thing he does when he gets up in the morning is think about Celtic. And the last thing at night, he thinks about Celtic.”
Desmond’s Commitment to Celtic
Dermot Desmond, Celtic’s largest shareholder for 25 years and a member of the plc board since 1995, has overseen an era of unprecedented success, with the club winning 45 trophies during his tenure.
Addressing accusations that Desmond is an “absentee landlord,” Rodgers strongly defended the Irishman’s dedication to the club.
“Dermot’s not one that wants to be out there and rightly so. He’s not going to be out there. You might not see his face all the time but that should not mean that he’s not interested.
“These types of things sometimes come up if the team loses a game. But it’s all a myth. He’s so unswerving in his commitment to Celtic, everything he gives to it. It was nice really to get together with him and spend some hours just looking at where we’re at and how we go forward, January and beyond.”
Tierney’s Potential Return
The prospect of Kieran Tierney returning to Celtic remains a tantalising possibility. Currently at Arsenal, the Scotland international is free to speak to clubs in January after the Gunners opted not to extend his contract.
Speaking about Tierney, Rodgers said:
“We’ll always be linked with top players and especially players that are one of us. Kieran was an instrumental part of a really, really successful period when I was here.
“His talents then took him on to another challenge in the Premier League. So, yeah, we’ll be linked with lots of names. Kieran, obviously, naturally because of his situation. But, for us, we’ll only ever tell you when we sign a player, once he’s signed.”
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has also addressed Tierney’s situation, stating:
“At the moment he is here with us. I wouldn’t play a player who is thinking of leaving or not committed to us. He hasn’t come to me and said I want to move. In the past when there have been doubts he’s come to me and this hasn’t been the case yet.”
Forrest’s Injury and Taylor’s Future
Rodgers confirmed that James Forrest is out until the end of January following a serious injury sustained in the game against Rangers. “He had a real bad blow in the game. And, to carry on, he showed great courage to do that,” said the Celtic manager.
Meanwhile, discussions over a contract extension for Greg Taylor have reached a financial impasse, but Rodgers remains hopeful of retaining the Scotland full-back.
“I’ve said it before and I repeat, I really want him to stay. So I’m hoping that, between the club and his representatives, we can organise a deal. But I also understand he’s 27 now, this will be one of the last big contracts of his career.
“So he has to make sure that everything is right. But, what I do know is, I really want him to be here. I love working with him.”
With January on the horizon, Celtic’s transfer plans are shaping up to be pivotal for the remainder of the season. Rodgers’ meeting with Desmond and the board reflects the club’s commitment to maintaining its position as a dominant force in Scottish football while planning for future success.
