Charlie Nicholas suggests Celtic allow manager Brendan Rodgers to sign players in order to do well in the Champions League this season.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
Former Arsenal forward Charlie Nicholas has predicted on Skysports.com that Celtic will not progress to the last 16 of the Champions League this season.
Brendan Rodgers’s side will feature in the group stage of Europe’s premier club competition during the 2016-17 campaign.
Celtic have been drawn against Spanish club Barcelona, English outfit Manchester City and German club Borussia Monchengladbach in Group C.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
The Scottish Premiership giants are not expected to finish in the top two of the group.
Barcelona and City should end up in the top two and advance to the last 16 of the Champions League.
Former Celtic forward Nicholas does not expect the Hoops to make it into the knockout stages of the competition.
Brendan Rodgers celebrates
The former Scotland international, though, has advised the Celtic board to allow manager Rodgers funds to make signings before the end of the summer transfer window in order to compete in the Champions League.
“What a great group for Celtic,” Nicholas wrote on Skysports.com. “I can guarantee Brendan Rodgers will be happy because he inherited a team that couldn’t even qualify and now they’ve got the opportunity to compete with the best.
“Hopefully they can do that with some help in the transfer market. They’re lucky to get a £5m player but now they’re in a pot that gets them £30m so why shouldn’t they give Rodgers a budget to work with now?
“They’ve now got a free hit, which for a native of Glasgow gives us a chance to get excited again.”
A footnote added: “Charlie’s verdict: Barcelona and Man City to qualify.”
Celtic are at the top of the Scottish Premiership table at the moment with nine points from three matches, a point clear of second-placed Rangers with a game in hand.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers
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