Celtic need to rattle transfer finale as Brendan Rodgers is stretched and at least 3 signings short – Chris Sutton

Brendan Rodgers has dipped quietly into the transfer market until this point.

But there are now less than two weeks to really start rattling on the window and making a proper noise because Celtic need it to happen. Let’s not waste words here. Celtic, for the levels the manager and the club are trying to reach, are stretched. It’s hardly what you would call breaking point, but the squad needs additions of quality to compete both in Europe and at home.

Rodgers is working towards that and I’m sure big players will be added within the next fortnight because, quite frankly, I think there simply has to be. And that’s even before anyone takes in the possibility of another top contributor following Jota and Carl Starfelt out of the door. Gustaf Lagerbielke is the sixth signing of the summer. It might be seen as a straight replacement for his countryman, but that can't be accurate right now. It's just not that simple.

Starfelt got a kicking from some on his way out of the door and it was unfair. His partnership with Cameron Carter-Vickers was the platform on which Celtic built their success under Ange Postecoglou. It is naive to just think Lagerbielke will slot in and be as impressive. Maybe he will, but no-one knows at this stage. Maik Nawrocki looks good, but, again, it’s early days.

The Pole and Lagerbielke are undoubtedly the future, but Celtic need the now and the sight of Carter-Vickers going off injured at Aberdeen exposed a lack of depth. Stephen Welsh did well and now has signed a new contract, but is he the long-term answer? Further forward, there have been glimpses from Hyunjun Yang, such as the way he made Matt O’Riley’s goal at Aberdeen. But surely Celtic aren’t expecting the South Korean to be the one to fill Jota’s