Player by player: How would you rate Brendan Rodgers’ transfer window so far?

Celtic have been busy so far this summer in adding more depth to a squad that is already brimming with quality.

Brendan Rodgers has made 6 additions so far with £12.4 million spent and fans have had the chance to catch their first glimpses at some of the new men that will be donning the hoops over the course of pre-season and the opening day fixtures.

With only one player brought in this summer being over the age of 22 (that being Tomoki Iwata who the club had an obligation to buy), Celtic have been expanding upon the young core at the heart of what is a very exciting Celtic team.

More business is still to be done with Celtic enquiring about the services of Elfsborg centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke and Volendam’s Xavier Mbuyamba and fans are also clamouring for a goalkeeper to be signed before the window shuts.

 

Having had the chance to see some of the new signings in action and taken the fees paid into consideration, here is A Celtic State of Mind’s early grades for Celtic’s summer signings so far.

Maik Nawrocki

With Carl Starfelt’s departure for Celta Vigo to be expected over the next few days, the signing of a centre-back or two was a must for Celtic in the transfer window.

Unlike Starfelt, Nawrocki is a lot more comfortable on the left-hand side of the backline as he is strong with both feet and this will allow Celtic to progress the ball out from the defence a lot quicker, something that could benefit the team greatly, especially in European competitions.

Celtic have had a good track record with signings from Legia Warsaw and, for a reported £4.3 million fee, Nawrocki should be viewed as a first-team quality player.

Grade: A

Odin Thiago Holm

Staying on the topic of proven track records, Celtic have seen a whole host of high-quality Norwegian talent coming through Parkhead’s door in recent years.

Norwegian football is on the rise at the moment with a very promising generation of Norwegian prospects coming through, spear-headed by Erling Haaland.

Celtic will be hoping they have struck gold with Odin Holm who has shown similiar qualities to Celtic’s captain Callum McGregor in the minutes he’s had.

The reported fee of £2.5 million seems like a steal as he has impressed in the early stages at the club and he will be looking to build upon these glimpses of glory if he is to break into arguably the most competitive position in the Celtic midfield.

Grade: A-

Yang Hyun-Jun

Yang was involved in somewhat of a transfer saga before joining Celtic as he forced his way out of Gangwon and into Celtic Park, even offering to help contribute financially to the deal.

His minutes have been limited in pre-season with his opportunities coming from the bench but he has provided a bright spark on the right-hand side when he has appeared, linked up well with his overlapping full-back Anthony Ralston and looking very lively when running at his marker.

He probably should’ve had his first goal for the club after he got on the end of a picture perfect Alexandro Bernabei cross against Athletic Club, but he looks like a raw talent with a very high ceiling.

Grade: B

Kwon Hyeok-Kyu

Kwon was signed from K-League 2 side Busan IPark for just under £900,000, making the signing a relatively risk-free acquisition for Celtic.

The 22-year-old’s appearances in the early stages at the club have all come in friendly games with the midfielder not coming off of the bench against Ross County.

He looked pretty shaky against Athletic Club where he played the first half before the teams switched over, although he did take up some good positions.

It is only natural for a player to look shaky in their debut, especially against good opposition like Athletic Club and at just 22 there is plenty of room for improvement.

Grade: B-

Marco Tilio

Coming off the back of a very productive 22/23 A-League campaign, Marco Tilio came into the club carrying an injury so we haven’t been able to see the 21-year-old Aussie in action so far.

However, he averaged a goal contribution every second game in all competitions last season and he comes in with a reputation of being a promising player.

Fans will be hoping that Tilio is the latest talent plucked from an untapped market that Celtic can turn into a top player.

With the reported fee being around £1.5 million, this is another relatively risk-free transfer from Celtic and another option on the wings, a position in which fans had identified before the window as an area that needed to be addressed.

Tilio should be able to make his debut around September time so, for now, he is not applicable for a grade.

Grade: N/A

JAMES MCKENZIE