Brendan Rodgers admits Celtic '˜might need two' new strikers

Celtic could look to sign two strikers in the January window according to Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers. Pic: SNS/Craig Williamson

The indefinite leave of absence given to Leigh Griffiths to receive professional help for personal issues has left 20-year-old Odsonne Edouard as the only senior recognised centre-forward in the squad. Celtic were already short in that department following the 
£19.7 million sale of Moussa Dembele to Lyon on the last day of the summer transfer window and manager Rodgers recognises he must address the situation when the window reopens next month.

Asked if the absence of Griffiths had focused his mind, the Celtic manager said: “There’s no doubt and we might need two. Because we wanted three strikers. We know we can’t go through the number of games we have and at the intensity at which we play with the same striker. We will definitely look at that. It’s always been a focus but this narrows our focus.

“It’s about availability. January is a very hard window in which to get players in. But we will definitely have to reinforce.” Rodgers said those same factors would determine whether the deals would be permanent or loans.

“It’s hard because if a team has four strikers and they play with a front two they probably don’t want to lose any of them in case they get an injury and are down to three. So it’s just going to be about availability.”