Celtic transfers: Ange Postecoglou 'alert' to departures as areas to strengthen identified

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou hasn’t ruled out major changes to his squad this summer in conceding he has to be “alert” to the possibility of departures.

Sources in Israel have claimed it is a given that Liel Abada will leave the champions-elect with Ajax strongly linked with a move for the winger in recent days. Although his numbers for goal contributions have remained impressive in his second season, the 21-year-old’s inability to earn a regular starting place would suggest his loss wouldn’t necessarily have a major impact.

Greater concern for Postecoglou and the club’s faithful will be the interest from down south in top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi, whose prodigious scoring exploits have already netted him 29 goals this season. Southampton have been credited with keeping tabs on the 28-year-old, as well as Reo Hatate. Marquee performer Cameron Carter-Vickers is also reported to be on the watchlist of the south coast club, as well as Burnley and Fulham. It is inevitable that the blistering form of the treble-chasing Parkhead side, coupled with the three-month summer window, will lead to suitors circling the club’s prized assets. A fact over which the Australian is patently mindful. Equally, though, the desire of the 57-year-old never to ease up in his desire to keep driving up the quality within his playing pool means that he has already identified targets to bolster his options, irrespective of any outgoings.

“It is one you go into with a bit of uncertainty because you don’t know what players will be affected within your own squad. So you are kind of always alert,” the Celtic manager said. “But the goal is the same in every transfer window - we want to come out of the window stronger than we go into it. And we are ready for that.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou is alert to the prospect of transfer bids for his star players this summer. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

“We already have some plans in place in terms of areas we want to strengthen. At the same time there is always the possibility that our players may move on for one reason or another. We have to be ready for that and make sure that come the end of the window we are in a better position than we were going into it."