The trajectory of Brendan Rodgers’ managerial career is an extremely interesting one. Gaining praise at Swansea City, subsequently taking Liverpool to within their closest sniff of a league title in three decades, to becoming parodic figure of David Brent proportions, and now being on the verge of accomplishing an incredible treble-treble with Celtic. It seems now that in order to accomplish that momentous achievement, Rogers is set to go back to Liverpool to bring Spanish midfielder Pedro Chirivella up to Scotland as he looks to solidify his squad for the upcoming season. The 21 year-old from Valencia has been at Liverpool since 2013, the season in which the Reds ran City agonisingly close for the Premier League under the Northern Irishman, where he continued his youth career from his hometown club before signing a professional contract with Liverpool in 2015. The Spaniard has gone on to make just one first-team league appearance for Liverpool, starting against another of Rodgers’ former sides Swansea City in 2016, before having back-to-back loan spells at Eredivisie sides Go Ahead Eagles and Willem II. The Daily Record reports that, having turned down a move to Norwegian side Rosenborg, Chirivella will now complete an initial £2.4 million transfer to Celtic Park, rising to £3.5million with the necessary add-ons. The midfielder, who operates in a preferred central role, will become Celtic’s third signing of the summer following the permanent acquisition of goalkeeper Scott Bain from Dundee and, in a club record-breaking move, the 20 year-old forward Odsonne Edouard from PSG. Rodgers is also reported to be still interested in resigning Jason Denayer from Manchester City, and left-back Emilio Izaguirre as well as super-John McGinn from Hibs.<doc-sep>John McGinn: I’m proud to join ‘fantastic’ Aston Villa HERE for the latest MUFC breaking news and transfer updates SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign upfor the latest MUFC breaking news and transfer updates When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Aston Villa have confirmed McGinn, 23, has signed for the club a day before the Football League’s transfer deadline. The deal comes after weeks of speculation that Celtic were set to sign the midfielder. Express Sport understands the Hoops were interested in McGinn at the start of the summer. Hibs wanted £4m for McGinn - a fee Celtic were unwilling to pay. Yet their failure to snap up the Hibs gem was confirmed today with Villa’s capture. And former Celtic goalkeeper Pat Bonner says manager Rodgers will not have reacted well to the news of their failed transfer. “Brendan Rodgers wanted John McGinn. He will be absolutely fuming about that,” Bonner said on BBC Sportsound. “McGinn was one of his main targets and they could have done it two or three weeks ago.” Celtic transfer news: Brendan Rodgers has missed out on John McGinn Celtic transfer news: John McGinn has joined Aston Villa Brendan Rodgers wanted John McGinn. He will be absolutely fuming about that Pat Bonner Rodgers himself was asked about targets ahead of Celtic’s Champions League qualifier with AEK Athens tonight. The Hoops have been linked with a move for ex-Parkhead ace Emilio Izaguirre. But Rodgers refused to go into detail about his proposed arrivals. "My concentration has been purely on the game," Rodgers said. "I think once we sign a player you will be the first ones to know. "My concentration is fully on the players we have at the moment. Between now and the end of August, we’ll see if we can strengthen." Celtic head into tonight’s clash with AEK knowing a home win the first leg will be crucial if they are to reach the final round of Champions League qualifying. And Bonner is confident the Scottish champions can get the job done. “I think this is as big a game that Celtic have played in Europe for a long time,” he added. Celtic transfer news: Hibs priced John McGinn at £4m Celtic transfer news: Aston Villa swooped for John McGinn on Wednesday<doc-sep>Join thousands of fans who have signed up to our Celtic newsletter. Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Brendan Rodgers has spoken of his frustration at not being able to land transfer targets last week. Celtic missed out on John McGinn as the Hibs midfielder went to Aston Villa in a £3m deal. But should the Celtic board be backing their man? Here, Gordon Parks takes a look at how Rodgers has fared in the market during his time at Celtic Park. MOUSSA DEMBELE (£500,000) The Frenchman was a revelation in his first season with the Hoops and his 32-goal haul had some of the best teams in Europe on his trail but the talk has started to quieten. Injury as well inconsistency which could be down to ongoing speculation over his future has marked his last six months but the £500k spent to recruit him from Fulham is barely believable in the current market. Hit. Cristian Gamboa (Undisclosed) The Costa Rican has failed to dislodge Mikael Lustig at right back and the former West Brom man has been on the periphery since his arrival. Hasn’t recovered from being put on toast by Bayern’s Kingsley Coman in the Champions League which highlighted his limitations and no longer a player trusted by Rodgers. Miss Scott Sinclair (£3million) (Image: PA) Rodgers recruited the winger he knew well from a spell with Chelsea’s youths and rebuilt his confidence and reputation as a big games performer. After landing a host of Player of the Year awards in his first season with 25 goals, he’s gone off the boil and been benched for spells. No longer the match winner which ran riot in his early days in the Hoops. Hit Kolo Toure (Free) Another player who worked under Rodgers down south during a spell at Liverpool but shown up in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach which all but ended his playing days. The former Manchester City star was a shadow of his former self but managed a handful more appearances before making a move to the club’s coaching staff. Miss. Dorus de Vries (Nominal fee) (Image: SNS Group) The Dutchman’s ability to deal with the ball at his feet convinced Rodgers he could rival Craig Gordon but the sweeper-keeper has failed to impress. Pilloried for his role in a 7-0 loss to Barcelona as well as unconvincing displays in big games ensured he would become an option of last resort. Miss. Patrick Roberts (Loan) Roberts was already at Celtic on an 18-month loan when Rodgers arrived but the Irishman brought him back from Manchester City on a further season-long loan. Moments of magic but injury and the failure to become a first pick saw him head south where he hasn’t been missed. Hit Eboue Kouassi (£3million) The Ivorian has failed to set the heather on fire when given opportunities to shine. Has hardly featured but lacks the class required to become a Celtic regular. Careless both in possession and in his tackling and doesn’t appear capable of running a game. Miss Kundai Benyu (Free) Arrived on a free transfer from Ipswich after failing to get a game under Mick McCarthy The Zimbabwean international was quickly shipped out on loan to Oldham and is another who looks well short of the standard to make a mark with the champions. Miss Olivier Ntcham (£4.5million) Has been Celtic’s star turn in recent weeks with power and a technical quality which sets him apart. A key figure alongside Scott Brown in midfield and now has a huge influence at a club where he initially struggled to find his feet. Hit Jonny Hayes (£1million) (Image: SNS Group) The former Aberdeen winger worked with Rodgers at Reading but has been on the fringes since arriving last season. A broken leg curtailed his involvement but has undoubted ability but looks like a player who finds wearing the shirt to much of a burden. Miss Odsonne Edouard (£9million) A revelation since initially coming in on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. Did enough to convince Rodgers he was worth a huge outlay to make his stay permanent and has all the power, pace and scoring instinct to make it a shrewd investment as he’s steals the thunder from Dembele. Hit Jack Hendry (£1.5million) The former Dundee defender’s ability on the ball and pace is clear to see but he’s been error prone and too slack in possession in recent weeks. Still growing into the role but needs to up his game quickly if he’s to be a long-term option, especially in Europe. Undecided. Scott Bain (Free) (Image: SNS Group) Has proved a more than able deputy for Gordon and excelled when thrown in against Rangers last season. Terrific shot stopper and copes well with the ball at his feet and has the complete trust of Rodgers after grabbing his chance to be a backup with both hands. Hit . Marvin Compper (£1million) Where to start? The veteran German defender was signed from RB Leipzig last January but has gone missing for the majority of his time in Glasgow. A calf problem hasn’t helped but on the rare occasion he’s been seen, there’s little to suggest he’s the commanding presence which operated in the Bundesliga. Miss Lewis Morgan (£300,000) Lit up the Championship with St Mirren and won his big move and this should be a breakthrough season with Celtic. Brave on the ball and two footed, the wideman has both guile and character but has a huge task in displacing the likes of Sinclair and Forrest. Undecided Charly Musonda (Loan) A bizarre and instantly forgettable spell on loan from Chelsea which didn’t come close to matching the hype on his arrival. Shunted back to London just a matter of months into an 18 month term and one or two jinking runs aside, a player who looked like a poor fit from day one. Miss Emilio Izaguirre (Free)<doc-sep>Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers will be desperate to bolster his ranks at Parkhead over the next few weeks. Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers spoke to reporters yesterday about his hopes of strengthening his squad before the transfer window closes on August 31st, and hinted that now is the time to add some real quality to his ranks at Parkhead, as quoted by the Daily Record. The Hoops are aiming to win their eighth consecutive Scottish Premiership title this season, but they will undoubtedly face stronger competition from Rangers, who seem to be galvanised after Steven Gerrard’s appointment as manager. Celtic have already brought in Scott Bain on a free transfer and Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain for around £9 million after his successful loan spell last season, but Rodgers will be keen to strengthen his options further still. The 45-year-old spoke to reporters last night, and hinted that now is the time to add some genuine quality to his ranks at Parkhead, rather than rely too heavily on young talent, as quoted by the Daily Record: Scott Brown and an emotional Celtic farewell “There are still a few key areas where I want to bring in quality and thus far we haven’t completed on it. Listen, I always respect that there is a balance because we’re not in the market with the resources to go and spend nine, 10, 11 million pounds on every player you sign. You can’t do that. But I think we’ve earned, over the few years, the possibilities to, where the squad needs the actual real genuine quality, the ability to do that. Talents are fine. All my career I have done that, worked with talents, improving 19-year-olds, 20-year-olds, 17-year-olds, 18-year-olds. I have put them in. But you also need proven talent. There is an expectation here to work not just alongside the talents but to have proven talents that will allow us to grow.” Celtic began their 2018/19 Scottish Premiership campaign in fine fashion with a 3-1 win over Livingstone, but they will face a far tougher challenge on Saturday when they head to Tynecastle to take on Hearts, and they will need to be at their very best if they are to return to Glasgow with maximum points. Whatever happens at the weekend, though, judging by Rodgers’ comments, Celtic will still be looking to bring in some genuine quality before the end of the month. In other news, Gary Neville pinpoints the exact ‘minute’ Liverpool lost their Premier League title<doc-sep>
Last updated on .From the section Celtic Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers after the defeat by Hearts Brendan Rodgers insists he "loves life" at Celtic despite the lack of dealings in this summer's transfer market. Celtic missed out on target John McGinn on Thursday as the Hibernian midfielder moved to Aston Villa. After being held by 10-man AEK Athens on Wednesday, Rodgers' side lacked a cutting edge in Saturday's Scottish Premiership defeat by Hearts. "Despite reports, there's talk of ultimatums with the board - I don't work that way," the Celtic boss said. "My communication is very open, so that's certainly not the case." So far this window Celtic have signed Odsonne Edouard on a permanent deal along with Scott Bain, while Emilio Izaguirre rejoined the club on Friday. Manchester City midfielder Daniel Arzani is set to complete a loan move imminently. "I'd read somewhere else about walking away - I've got three years left on my contract and I love every day of my life at Celtic. All I want is for us to improve every aspect of the club. "It's a disappointing result for us. We'd a good performance in midweek and drew, but you move on in football very quickly. " Rodgers told BBC Scotland Dedryck Boyata sat out the 1-0 Tynecastle loss due to illness, and is now a doubt for Celtic's decisive Champions League third qualifying round meeting with AEK in Greece on Tuesday. Amid transfer interest from Fulham, the Celtic boss is eager to retain the Belgium defender, who is in the final year of his contract. "The club have been trying to organise a deal for a period of time, but Dedryck's agent wasn't so keen for him to sign a deal before the World Cup, which you can understand," he said. "They have been in discussions but nothing concrete as of yet. The plan is for him to stay here and I don't see that changing. We don't want to lose him. It's very difficult to get good centre-halves and he's really developed."