Ange steps up his transformation plan

Ange Postecoglou believes that much of his summer squad building has taken place on the training ground. 

In the transfer market the hoops boss has converted three loans into permanent moves, added two free agents and signed a left-back and midfielder. 

It is nothing like last summer’s blizzard of activity that lasted until almost midnight on August 31 when Jota, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Giorgos Giakoumakis arrived just as Ryan Christie and Odsonne Edouard were heading south. 

Stephen Welsh and Greg Taylor are the only players that started last season’s opener against Midtjylland that look as if they’ll line up against Aberdeen on Sunday with Postecoglou looking for last season’s evolution to be stepped up as he sets off into season two. 

Explaining his transfer activities, the Celtic boss told the Daily Record: 

This summer was more squad building and elevating the level of everyone. It had to be. 

I keep saying we’ve just got to be better than we were last year. We’re not going to be better if we stand still and don’t push these guys even further. 

The ones who were here last year too. It’s not just about the guys coming in, it’s about the guys from last year going up a level. That’s what we’re going to do, we’re going to push them and that’s what this pre-season is all about. 

With a month left in the transfer window there is still time for movement but it looks like the Celtic squad at the start of September will be very similar to the one that goes into Sunday’s opener against Aberdeen.