Celtic 'not expected to spend big' this summer as Rangers title challenge hopes dismissed

Manager Brendan Rodgers and his recruitment team have already been active this summer, already bringing in goalkeeper Ross Doohan, defenders Hayato Inamura and Kieran Tierney, wide forward Benjamin Nygren and striker Callum Osmand - all on either free transfers or modest fees by global football standards.

Celtic continue to be linked with a number of players, especially in defence and up front, especially with key forward Nicolas Kuhn on the brink of a £16.5million switch to Italian side Como. However, despite making serious profits on assets such as the German winger, who was signed for just £3m, Nicolas does not expect Celtic to break the bank for transfer targets in this window.

“Celtic are cash rich,” said Nicholas. “I think they have the best part of £60m or £70m in a bank account and Celtic fans are saying, we know you don’t pay big wages, you might be paying £30,000-£35,000 as your top salary – they don’t want to spend too much money.

“But last season they did – was this to entice Brendan Rodgers to another contract? I’m not sure. Was this Brendan Rodgers flexing his muscles to say, if we want to compete in Europe we need to spend. Celtic did okay in Europe last season so does that not tell them that it’s worth speculating the money? Celtic probably earned £40m from the Champions League, so if you want to balance the books, as a fan, it doesn’t really cost you anything.

“[Striker] Adam Idah was £9m-£10m from Norwich and he hasn’t really set the place alight, can’t get a regular starting spot, and I don’t know if he will next season. He’s not quite lived up to his price tag. [Midfielder] Arne Engels, we got from Belgium – he’s a lovely footballer to watch but there was a period where he looked as if he got physically tired, that it was too demanding for him. The European nights, he didn’t really respond well, but he is young and maybe needed one season to bed himself in, but he’s not lived up to the £12m price tag yet.

‘I just don’t think Celtic will do it’

“Do they go and spend the same amount of money again this summer? I would be surprised. What Celtic tend to do is if they get £14m-£15m profit or £25m profit, they will spend £25m-£30m. That’s how they balance the books. I’d like them to be a bit bolder, but I just don’t think they will this summer.”

Nicholas says that Celtic’s current trading model means it is no surprise to see Kuhn moved on after just 18 months with the club.

“Celtic buy players for £3m or £4m and then sell them on for profits – that’s what they do,” Nicholas, who played for Celtic in two spells between 1979 and 1983 and 1990 and 1995, continued. “Celtic have done well with quite a few players like this, but they also get quite a few players wrong, and they must then unload them. I think there is about five or six going out this summer. Some work and some don’t, but the ones that work fit the Celtic financial model, that’s the reality of it.

“Nicolas Kuhn was excellent last season for about six months – he blossomed from nowhere as he was awful when he first came. He got himself fit and suddenly, we see this skilful, pacey wide man who was excellent in the Champions League, but then he got himself injured and went off the boil again. So, to take the best part of £14m profit, it’s what Celtic do, it’s their model and they’ll take the money.”

Nicholas also does not expect Rangers to mount a sustained title challenge for the Premiership next season despite being under new ownership and having a new head coach in the shape of Russell Martin.

“Rangers haven’t got enough in their squad to push Celtic for the Premiership title next season,” claimed Nicholas. “They’ve brought five players in so far this summer, but they’ll be desperate to get some players out of the door for decent fees too. Russell Martin doesn’t have a strong enough squad yet, but he’s brought five players in, some of those are decent players, and he has improved the team.

“Rangers can’t be as bad as they’ve been over the last season or so because what Russell Martin will bring is an aggressive, high pressing, footballing ideology. But a lot of these players are not yet good enough to get on the ball and play under pressure, so he’s got quite a bit of catching up to do, and another good four or five signings to come in and help with that.”

Speaking to Skybet, Nicholas added: “There have been signs of improvement for Rangers and they will be better next season because Russell Martin will demand that they’re better.”

Sign up to The Scotsman’s daily football newsletter to get unrivalled Scottish football news and analysis - subscribe for free here.