BRENDAN RODGERS admits he wasn’t surprised at Kyogo Furuhashi being linked to Manchester City. But the Celtic boss vowed he won’t entertain any last-minute bids for any of his top stars. 2 Kyogo trained with his Celtic team-mates at Lennoxtown today Credit: Kenny Ramsay 2 Matt O'Riley was also spotted on the training pitch amid interest Credit: Kenny Ramsay Pep Guardiola is considering a move for the Japan striker before Friday’s deadline - but Rodgers wants full focus on next week’s Old Firm derby.
Rodgers said: “I wasn’t surprised at the link. He’s a wonderful player. “But just looking at all the gossip and speculation this week, I thought I was preparing for a five-a-side game this weekend with all the players I’m losing! “There is nothing.
Especially going into the last week of the market, there is always going to be speculation. read more celtic stories DOUBLE DEAL Kyogo & O'Riley latest amid interest as Celtic squad prepares for St Mirren tie SUNDAY TEST St Mirren vs Celtic betting tips and £60 in free bets for Premiership clash “But no, there is nothing new to add.” Asked if it would get to a stage next week where it’s “too late” to accept bids, Rodgers said: “Yes.
For any player, it’s not going to go right down to the wire. “We have a big week next week after the St Mirren match, preparing for our last game of this block. “I wouldn’t want that to be interrupted at all.
” Most read in Football FRENCH CONNECTION Celtic 'make offer for Lyon star' who came through PSG academy JOB HUNT Forgotten ex-Rangers flop leaves club just 11 DAYS after signing new contract KAIKED OUT Gers 'have transfer bid rejected' for Brazilian star dubbed the 'new Marquinhos' ALL KICKING OFF Moment ex-Gers star left in agony as off-field clash sparks dugout drama Rodgers insists Celtic are entering a “big seven days” as he seeks quality reinforcements ahead of the transfer deadline. The Hoops boss insists the potential sale of Matt O’Riley to Brighton has no impact on his spending power. Inside the Celtic dressing room as Brendan Rodgers tells stars to 'make Parkhead hell' And he told fans he is pushing hard to ensure Celtic are more competitive in the Champions League .
Asked about punters’ frustrations, Rodgers said: “I totally understand. I totally get it. Their idea is the same as mine.
“We want to improve. This is a football club with incredible potential. “For some players, we won’t be the end game and we get that.
“But it still doesn’t mean that our benchmark is just domestically. Our New YouTube Channel Subscribe to our new Scottish Sun Sport YouTube channel for all the latest football news, views and amazing moments. We've got every major development covered from Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and the rest of the Scottish Premiership.
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Subscribe now and don't miss a thing. “We got to have a high bar and our bar was set, this club having won the European Cup. “I don’t want us just to be a team that participates, takes the money , comes back out and then is happy with domestic success.
“The benchmark for me is much higher than that. We want to be in there, competing and fighting. “We don’t have the resources of a lot of the other clubs but we can be in there to compete.
“For that, we have to have improvements and we want to do that every season. Could Mahamadou Diawara replace Matt O'Riley and become Celtic's next £25m star “Sometimes you may miss players in the market, who have gone. “There is availability, there is affordability but there are still players we can get in who can allow us to grow and develop.
“I don’t want to go too much into it because we will be judged at the end of the market. “That’s when things really ramp up in this final week. “I am very happy with the signings we have made and that gives us the squad we had last season.
“But we want to improve and we have to improve if we are a club of ambition and we want to be better, then we need to look at that. “It’s a big seven days for us. “But I am confident we can do that.
“Sometimes it’s waiting for the right player. We might have seen the right player but then he’s gone, or decided to go somewhere else. Read more on the Scottish Sun MORAY MANIA Cops called amid huge queues as fizzy drink re-launch causes chaos MURRAY MAKEOVER Andy Murray hit with fresh warning over renovations at luxury Cromlix hotel “It can take a little bit of time but we will see at the end of the window, where we are at.
“I’ve always been confident we can improve the squad by then.” Keep up to date with ALL t h e latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page.
