Celtic’s failure to sign Cristiano Piccini from Sporting Lisbon last summer helped set the wheels in motion for the departure of Brendan Rodgers, according to a reliable journalist.
Scottish Daily Mail correspondent Stephen McGowan, renowned for his impeccable Hoops connections, explained in the newspaper how the right-back chose to join Valencia “at the last moment”.
Amid Celtic’s unwillingness to meet Hibernian’s asking price for lifelong fan John McGinn, McGowan explained there was “tension” between Rodgers and the club hierarchy led by Peter Lawwell as they disagreed on how to achieve Champions League progress.
OPINION
Rodgers’ frustration at the failed Piccini deal was understandable. Celtic made a right hash of last summer’s transfer window, selling crown jewel Moussa Dembele at the eleventh hour but failing to replace him while failing to reinforce in the key areas, particularly at centre-back, right-back and centre-forward. It left Rodgers with past-it Mikael Lustig as the only senior right-back on the books and it meant the issue was not adequately addressed until Jeremy Toljan joined on deadline day from the Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on a contract until the end of the season. This has summed up Celtic’s transfer market efforts in recent times, short-term sticking plasters as they looked to save cash and scour the bargain basement. Little wonder Rodgers upped sticks and headed to the Premier League, where Leicester certainly won’t baulk at a £7million fee for an Italy international at the peak of his powers? Not quite. Rodgers’ decision to quit with three months remaining of the campaign was a crass move.