The Celtic role in Champions League overhaul Brendan Rodgers will crave as Euro cash pot grows bigger

Returning Brendan Rodgers famously said first time around it would be "terminado" for him if Celtic didn't match his ambitions moving forward.

That illuminating line came six months before his abrupt departure for Leicester but, perhaps, the shock which followed his move to the King Power Stadium shouldn't have left so many jaws on the floor despite the suddenness of his final days. And four years later the Irishman stands on the brink of saying yes to a Celtic return.

It's understood much of the discussions with principal shareholder Dermot Desmond and the board have centred on driving the Premiership champions to the next level. Domestic dominance has become the norm and the 50-year-old wants to be the man – with passport in hand – to usher in a new glory era on the continent.

The first Rangers team Brendan Rodgers faced as Michael Beale overhaul signals rivals progress to Celtic boss-in-waiting

Rodgers' return will start with a luxury he never experienced first time around with guaranteed group stage football in the world's richest club competition. Nerve-shredders in Be'er Sheva will be swerved as he can plan ahead for a crack at the best teams in the world. Rodgers is targeting a telling impact in Europe and it's believed he will be backed with a budget to do so. It's high time in the eyes of fans who previously dubbed their east end home 'Fortress Paradise', as the likes of Porto, Manchester United, Barcelona, Lyon and AC Milan left Parkhead pointless.

Rodgers has managed 12 games in the tournament proper and will be keen to improve on his singular win against Anderlecht, however, he would rightly point to a pair of draws with Manchester City and rousing displays against Bayern Munich and away to Borussia