Brendan Rodgers reveals Celtic transfer plan as he confesses squad ISN'T strong enough

Brendan Rodgers insists planning is well under way to make Celtic a more formidable force after admitting the squad isn't as strong as he wanted this season - but revealed he isn’t losing sleep over the prospect of losing Matt O’Riley.

The Hoops are on the brink of three in a row with just a point needed to clinch the Scottish Premiership - or a Rangers slip up against Dundee later tonight - and the mega millions that will come with guaranteed entry to the group stage of the revamped and most lucrative ever Champions League.

Asked how far he is down the road to growing the squad for next season, the Parkhead boss said: “We have to do that. That’s pretty clear. But I’m really excited about that moving forward into a real bright future with the club. This season has been a real challenge, the squad openly not as strong as I would have liked it to have been but what the players have given me to this point has been absolutely brilliant. But our job next year is to be stronger, much stronger and that’s something that’s well underway.”

Celtic booted out a bid in January from Atletico Madrid for the club’s Player of the Year O’Riley and the Spaniards are linked with a summer move along with other top European clubs but Rodgers said: “We don’t have to sell. We’re not in a position to do that but of course if something comes in then - like it happens at Celtic - it will always be looked at.

“But there’s not a need to sell. Matt has had an absolutely brilliant season and it’s great testament to his professionalism and how he’s developed as a football player and naturally those players will attract attention and if you’ve done well and at a club with this status and pressure then naturally the attention will come but it’s not something I lose sleep about.”