Celtic have upstaged all their local rivals to the three domestic honours – Scottish Premiership title, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup for the second consecutive time in the 2017/18 season. Brendan Rodgers managed to achieve what never has been achieved in the Scottish top-flight, which is to register the treble two years in a row, and yet is still at wits end over the club’s European pedigree.
Winning the domestic honours is almost a formality at this point for the Hoops with the players they currently have but at the same time not enough to really challenge for either one of the continental cups. The Celts finished in the 3rd spot of the UEFA Champions League group stages this past season and then subsequently got knocked out of the Europa League by a 4-0 aggregate scoreline against Zenit St Petersburg.
Even with their dominance in local fixtures, they keep on failing to make a mark on Europe’s biggest stage. Rodgers has been tasked with making improvements to the current squad but does not necessarily have the financial backing of most of their European counterparts.
He will need to look under every unturned rock to find the one gem who will be able to turn things around for the side. The defence could use some work if any of the prestigious names quit the side this summer.
Here are a few candidates the former Liverpool head coach should consider bringing in.
James Collins
Not that the Hoops are short of centre-backs at the moment but Collins is a name no Scottish outfit can just gloss over without giving a second thought. The 34-year-old veteran bid farewell to West Ham United fans earlier in May after finishing up his contract with the East London outfit.
Collins has heaps of top-flight potential which could do wonders if introduced to the Glasgow side. While Celtic might boast of a young core group of players in their squad, a champion club is always made with an outright leader to put together all the stray pieces.
Bryan Oviedo
Sunderland are no longer in the Championship and Oviedo is tied to the side till the summer of 2020. Celtic currently have no one other than Kieran Tierney in the left-back position and the Black Cats are looking to offload their 28-year-old man this summer.
Read More: Celtic’s 26 Y/O Midfielder Has His Heart Set At Another Club: Should Rodgers Let Him Leave?
Callum Crane
The 22-year-old has been released by Hibernian and is currently in the market as a free agent. Maybe he could join on a free transfer to offer Tierney with some competition in the left-back position.
