Scott Sinclair: We trust Brendan Rodgers' signings

Celtic's Scott Sinclair and Lisbon Lion John Clark make the announcement that the Lions Legacy has raised Â£2 million for the Celtic Foundation. Picture: Alan Harvey/SNS

Hayes became the Scottish champions’ first summer signing this week when he completed his £1.3 million move from Aberdeen.

There has been a lukewarm response among a section of the Celtic support to the arrival of the Republic of Ireland international winger. But last season’s Player of the Year Sinclair insists Hayes, pictured right, will improve competition for first team places at the club and feels Rodgers has earned the right to be trusted as he prepares his treble-winning squad for another Champions League qualifying campaign next month.

Sinclair said: “The manager has done what he has done and everyone trusts him, all the players he buys and all the others agree with him.

“Jonny Hayes is a good player. All the players trust the manager to bring in the players he believes should be added to the squad and his arrival is great for competition.”

Asked if Hayes was the best player in Scottish football last season outwith the Celtic squad which completed an unprecedented undefeated domestic clean sweep, Sinclair replied: “Well, he made it into the top four of the PFA Scotland Player of the Year nominations, so he must have been.”

Sinclair has returned to training after the shortest close season break of his career, just three weeks after Celtic wrapped up their triumphant campaign with victory over Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup Final.

The 28-year-old added: “This is the first time I’ve only had three weeks. I normally got longer down in English football. I’ve had a nice break with my family and come back ready to go again.

“ I want to have an even better season than the last one. Over the last few years every summer I wasn’t too sure what was going to be happening, whether I would be leaving and going somewhere else. So it’s great to have a summer just to enjoy it.

“I’m looking forward to all the [Champions League] qualifiers. I wasn’t here in time for it all last year, I only came in time for the final play-off round against Hapoel Beer-Sheva.

“If you can win your last game and get into the Champions League it will be a great feeling. That’s what we want to do again.

“I think we’re much stronger as a squad now. We had a good start last season and a great end and the team is really together now.”

Sinclair also shrugged off any concern over Celtic’s possible opening Champions League qualifier against Linfield which is set to take place in Belfast on a date still to be agreed by the clubs, police and Uefa.

“I’m looking forward to it,” added the former Manchester City and Swansea City winger. “Everyone keeps telling me how it will be hostile. We’re just going to have to wait and see how it is. When you go into the match, you just focus on the game and nothing around about it, you go and give it 100 per cent and make sure you perform.”

Sinclair spent part of his holiday in Majorca, where he watched Scotland’s 2-2 draw with England on 10 June. He admits to mixed feelings as he saw team-mate Leigh Griffiths’ heroics ultimately foiled by his English compatriots. He said: “It was a weird one to watch. You want your Celtic mates to do well but I’m English. How did I feel when Griff got his second? I can’t really answer that! He’ll be buzzing after that. I thought he would score them both. He’s got an amazing free kick delivery.”

Sinclair still hopes to force his way into the England squad and that aim was in his mind as he assessed the performance of Gareth Southgate’s men.

“As a professional you’re always judging each other and picking things out about whether you’re better or not than those playing,” he said.

“I still want to play for my country, I’m still ambitious. But things like that are out of my control so I’ll just concentrate on trying to do well for Celtic and see what happens.”