Brendan Rodgers has earned Celtic taking transfer risk that could see him blow Rangers away for title 55 - Chris Sutton

Brendan Rodgers had a gulf between him and Rangers first time around.

If Celtic get it right this summer having been pushed for a spell by the Ibrox club last season, he has a big chance to create another chasm. Stage two of Rodgers’ second spell is fully underway with the team returned for pre-season training and the manager in a far-better place than 12 months ago. It couldn’t have been easy for him last summer. He knew some people didn’t want him back, but he promised to be back at the stadium in May with the title trophy and duly delivered it along with a Scottish Cup.

He backed his words up and, having conjured that Double, there’s no need for him to say anything this summer. European progression was also on his agenda and, although I’m not sure there were as many advances made in the Champions League as some people would have you believe, it remains a real motivation.

If Rodgers and Celtic make the right moves over the next couple of months, they have a real chance to both blow Rangers away and also make that elusive mark again when facing the continent’s elite. Let’s get it right, you should never look over the fence. What Rangers are doing isn’t Celtic’s concern. They have to mind their own business and they will. But, to those of us on the outside, it seems there’s a golden opportunity to hammer home an advantage over their biggest rivals.

Winning that title last season has whacked another £40 million into the Parkhead coffers and, at the same time, kept it out of the Ibrox piggy bank. That has a serious effect on what the respective clubs can do in this transfer market and gives Celtic a huge chance to stride further ahead. Philippe Clement needs to rebuild his squad and he’s not being helped by the fact that