Neil Lennon is preparing to significantly reduce the size of his squad over the summer.
Celtic currently have their biggest squad ever with a number of internationalists sent out on loan this season.
With Glenn Loovens, Daniel Majstorovic, Mark Wilson and Cha Du-Ri about to come out of contract up to a dozen players could depart the club over the close season.
“There will be significant pruning,” Lennon admitted yesterday. “I’m not going to name any because that would be unfair on players but we are going to try and trim the squad quite a bit.”
While reducing the size of the squad Lennon is hoping to add to the quality as he attempts to lead Celtic back into the Champions League.
Celtic face two qualifiers in the Champions route to a £12m jackpot that would put the club into a very healthy position on and off the park.
Lennon added: “As soon as we won the title at Kilmarnock, we started looking ahead to next year. We are working hard in the background.
“I want to get the pre-season sorted out. If we can get it right for the Champions League qualifiers that will have a huge significance for the season.
“I will try and get some players in. I would like to bed them in as quickly as possible. We’ve got our eye on a few.
“John Park and his team work all year round on that. We will be having a few meetings this week and trying to narrow it down to two options for each position.”
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I think every player deserves two seasons to adapt to Scottish football. But after that, if they dont, it’s time to go.
Sorry, I meant to say that for me a center-half is a big priority.
I see Lennon saying 6 players will be leaving, hopefully this is in addition to those out of contract with 3/4 players to come in.
The bottom line is QUALITY not quantity and we clearly need such in specific positions.
I’ve no objection to a first team regular being sold off as long as the money is then re-invested in the team.
Every confidence in John Park and his team to unearth yet more gems rather than an established big name.
Six out doesn’t seem enough for me. Players who’s contracts are up; Cervi, Mjastorovic, Loovens, O’Dea, Cha, Mark Wilson, McGinn and Blackman plus I think some of the other on loan players like Josh Thompson, Richie Towell, Greig Spence and Paul Slane could all be moving on if their contracts aren’t up.
Then there are players like Daryl Murphy, Morten Rasmussen, Efrain Juarez and Paddy McCourt who are really unlikely to play from the looks of things.
By my count, that is 16 players who could leave and it not cause us a problem and only 4 of them would be sold. So is there another 2 players to be sold and Lennon is talking about 6 players leaving because we sell them PLUS the out of contract players, or are all the out of contract players going to be given new deals apart from about 3 or 4?
Blackman I think may be given another contract as he hasn’t looked too bad as yet. Juarez I think is a quality player if used correctly so I can only imagine there is something gone on in the background to mean he isn’t even making the bench anymore. I’d like him to stay but could see him leaving.
So far we have been linked with two young players from the Championship, that’s not exactly experienced quality players is it? We need a big striker, a creative midfielder/winger, a GK and a CB.