'Change needed' as Celtic boss eyes summer turnover

Brendan Rodgers says "change is needed" to Celtic's squad this summertime to defender against nan complacency that has crept into his broadside successful caller weeks pinch specified a comfortable lead successful nan Scottish title race.

"It's either that aliases nan head goes," nan Northern Irishman said arsenic he indicated his penchant to make changes to his playing staff.

Rodgers was near angry by Sunday's conclusion by bottommost broadside St Johnstone, a consequence that intends they cannot now clinch nan title astatine location to Kilmarnock connected Saturday contempt their 13-point lead complete Rangers.

After losing conscionable doubly successful nan full of 2024 successful each competitions - to Rangers and Borussia Dortmund - Celtic person suffered six defeats truthful acold this year.

"We ever want to amended nan team, amended nan hunger successful nan team," Rodgers said. "Because 1 of nan ways to win and defender crossed what I've been talking about, is you request nan freshness.

"It's either that aliases nan head goes. It's arsenic elemental arsenic that. You cannot beryllium astatine a nine for a agelong play of clip pinch nan aforesaid group of players.

"And, likewise, nan aforesaid group of players request a different sound maybe. But, astatine this moment, it will beryllium astir improving nan squad."

Changes were already certain, pinch Celtic having grounded to switch Kyogo Furuhashi erstwhile nan striker near for Rennes successful January.

Meanwhile, Kieran Tierney has signed a pre-contract to return from Arsenal arsenic chap Scotland left-back Greg Taylor looks poised to exit connected state of contract.

"I deliberation people what you person astatine our club, location is simply a earthy descent of players that move retired and travel successful each 3 aliases 4 years," Rodgers said.

"I deliberation alteration is needed. That freshness, that caller power coming into your squad that alleviates immoderate of that benignant of complacency. However this squad does astatine nan extremity of nan season, we want to amended it. The squad needs nan competition."

Rodgers expects a affirmative guidance aft claiming successful Perth that location was a "comfort" successful his squad that he did not like.

"There's nary uncertainty that nan spread successful nan league, and besides possibly a small spot of coming retired of nan Champions League, has conscionable taken a flimsy separator off," he added.

"So that's a mindset that I request to proceed to activity wrong nan squad successful bid to amended that. I don't hide really good they person done, but I can't judge what that was past week."