RUN FOR COVER
V With as many as five Bhoys at Asian Cup, Rodgers targetting January transfers
BRENDAN RODGERS will target a new striker in January to cover for Kyogo Furuhashi, Oh Hyeon-gyu and Daizen Maeda.
The Parkhead gaffer is likely to lose FIVE key players in January to the Asian Cup tournament in Qatar.
As well as Kyogo, Japan could also call up Maeda and Reo Hatate, who are due to return from injury by then.
Alongside Oh, Hyun-jun Yang might leave Glasgow for a month on international duty with South Korea.
With crucial Premiership games against Aberdeen and Hibs away , Kilmarnock and
Ross County at home, plus a Scottish Cup tie scheduled for that time, Rodgers knows he’ll need reinforcements.
Celtic will have money to spend in the January transfer window and Rodgers said: “We’ve given the Asian Cup a lot of thought. The likelihood is – if they’re fit – a lot of them will be in Qatar. “It doesn’t change our plans for January as it’s not a surprise. We spoke about it in the summer. We know what our ideas are for that. “It’s about strategy. You can either buy one or you can look at the loan market. It’s always about availability and what you can afford as well.
“Is it a big loss for us (the players going away)? Yeah but it’s always an opportunity for someone else.
“Everyone is replaceable. Our first look will always be inside. Is there anyone in the academy we feel can step in?
“You never know, you might have a £15million or £20m player in there.
“We’ll assess that. If it’s not inside then of course we’ll have to look outside. Players can also switch positions. The last time I was here, I played Patrick Roberts or James Forrest as a striker for a number of games.
“We’ve got adaptability.”