Celtic are flying high in the Scottish Premiership under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers. In Europe, things have been less rosy albeit against the best the continent has to offer.
It’s all about development and progress under the new regime and despite current success the manager won’t rest on the squad in place if there are improvements to made.
With that in mind we expect Celtic to do some business in the transfer window, either bringing in experienced, proven talent or bringing in young players that can not only impact the first team right away but become a star of the future.
Here are five players Rodgers should look to sign in January…
Jordan Mutch
Having been unable to bolster the central midfield position in the summer, it’s well known that Brendan Rodgers is on the lookout for players with the ability to compete with the likes of Scott Brown and Nir Bitton.
Jordan Mutch, of Crystal Palace, represents the kind of player that could prove tempting for Celtic this January. The £2.5m-rated midfielder is reported to be a target of the Hoops boss.
Mutch fits the profile of signings coming into Celtic so far, proven talent that have made a name for themselves in English football. With 75 appearances in the English Premier League across his career, Mutch has shown he can compete at the top level.
He’s struggling for first team football at Palace right now and as we’ve seen with Sinclair, there are gems out there that could be revitalised under the set-up at Celtic Park.
Ezri Konsa
During the recent international break, Brendan Rodgers was spotted taking in a Swindon Town vs Charlton Athletic match with QPR Director of Football Les Ferdinand. In the days after, it was reported he was there looking to personally scout Charlton defensive prospect Ezri Konsa.
Rodgers has shown he’s not afraid to put faith in youth with Kieran Tierney and Moussa Dembele being key players for the Hoops this season. The highly rated centre-back is just 18 but is already attracting interest from clubs in the divisions above League One.
With Liverpool and Arsenal also rumoured to be interested in him, Celtic would perhaps be considered to have a tough battle on their hands to attract him to Glasgow.
However, with the rise in profile of Dembele since the summer, perhaps regular first team football and the guidance of Rodgers himself is exactly what the young Addicks man needs.
James McCarthy
McCarthy to Celtic was one of the stories that rumbled on throughout the Summer but ultimately a deal could not be agreed for the midfielder, either permanently or on loan.
The Irish international’s first team prospects at Everton have not improved since then, he’s only made one start for the Toffees this campaign.
He’s the calibre of player that could take the Bhoys to the next level, especially as a well known Celtic fan. Fans spotted him at the recent Scottish League Cup semi-final against Rangers at Hampden, cheering on his boyhood heroes.
This is a signing that would create huge fan interest and with Scott Brown entering the latter stages of his career, would be a perfect replacement in the eyes of many Celtic supporters, a player they feel should have been signed while he was still at Hamilton Academical as a teenager.
Robbie Keane
At 36 years of age, you could be forgiven that Robbie Keane’s time has passed for a move to a club like Celtic. However, his scoring record at LA Galaxy hasn’t faltered since his move to America in 2012. He’s scored over 100 goals for Galaxy in 165 appearances, with 10 coming in the most recent campaign.
Keane’s previous stint at Celtic was a case of right player, wrong time. His sensational loan move from Spurs in January 2010 was a great success for him personally, scoring 16 goals in 19 appearances. However, that coincided with a disastrous Tony Mowbray reign that ended with no trophies that season.
With his contract expiring with LA Galaxy, a move to Celtic could prove successful for both player and club with the Bhoys needing greater depth beyond Dembele and Griffiths in attack.
Conor Hourihane
Barnsley captain Conor Hourihane’s contract runs out this coming Summer and he is attracting interest from a host of British clubs, including Celtic, after impressing consistently for the Tykes.
He led his side to promotion from League One last season and hasn’t faltered in the Championship winning the division’s Player Of The Month award in August.
Hourihane is known to have a preference for the Hoops and could provide competition that is badly need in the midfield area. A move to Glasgow would take his career another level with big derbies, big nights in Europe and the potential to break into the Republic of Ireland first team all on the cards.