Brendan Rodgers, manager of Celtic, is nearing another trophy as he leads his team to the League Cup final after a commanding 6-0 win over Aberdeen. This sets up a highly anticipated showdown with Rangers, giving Rodgers a chance to claim this trophy since his return to the club. Celtic secured both the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup in the 2023/24 season, with only this trophy missing for Rodgers to complete a domestic sweep.
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Rodgers took over from Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2023 after the Australian coach left for Tottenham. Postecoglou’s legacy includes some of Celtic’s most successful signings, particularly from the Asian market. Reo Hatate and Kyogo Furuhashi, both Japanese internationals, saw their values skyrocket, with Hatate brought in for £1.4 million and valued at £15 million, while Furuhashi was signed for £4.6 million and valued at up to £25 million. Another notable signing was Portuguese talent Jota, acquired for £6.5 million before being sold to Al-Ittihad for £25 million.
However, not all of Postecoglou’s acquisitions proved successful. Alexandro Bernabei, signed from Lanus for £4 million in 2022, struggled to make an impact. In his first season, he started only nine Premiership games, and under Rodgers, he made just three starts, leading to his loan to Brazil’s Internacional. Former Celtic star John Hartson criticized Bernabei as a “disgrace” for his lack of defensive effort. Recently, reports indicate that Celtic may look to sell Bernabei in the January transfer window, aiming to recover as much of the initial investment as possible, though it’s uncertain how much they will receive for him.
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