Celtic have agreed a deal in principle with Royal Antwerp for forward Michel Ange Balikwisha and a medical is arranged - but "internal issues" at the Belgian club are holding up the deal. (Sacha Tavolieri)
Read the rest of Thursday's gossip.
We asked you for your thoughts on Celtic's summer transfer window and Brendan Rodgers' post-match comments after the 0-0 draw with Kairat Almaty.
Here's a taste of what you had to say...
Lorenzo: Why do people think Brendan Rodgers negotiates the fees? If this rudderless, money-hungry board had done their business sooner those the players would have cost nowhere near 20m. Celtic cannot progress while the same faces run the show with their regular managed decline.
Russell: It's clear we have the money and winning two or three domestically is not what fans want or expect - they want a team that competes in Europe. We have to shop around but look at Bodo/Glimt - 5-0 winners tonight - who don't have our resources. Back Brendan!
Kenny: Low-ball bids have resulted in gambling on the play-off. The disgust in Brendan Rodgers is the same as every fan. Signing projects hoping one out of five sells for £20m. Shocking.
Rufus: Teflon Brendan: No matter what happens, it's always someone else's fault. Either the board or the players.
Graham: The usual from Rodgers… blah blah blah.
Andy: The issue with signings is not fees, it's timing. Jota is long term out, Brendan said he wants Yang Hyun-jun out on loan, Nicolas Kuhn was sold weeks ago. The club are presumably sigNing two wingers, and yet we can't get one signed before the important games have started.
Tony: The transfer dealing aren't good enough but maybe we also need to look at Rodgers' failure to evolve in terms of team set-up. It's a team of players who go side-to-side with no one willing to break rank and try something different to create space for shots or forward pass.
Rory: That one is on Rodgers and the players. Should have beaten them with what we had.
Dave: Rodgers has the perfect excuse to leave after this season. Lack of urgency and quality about this team. The board have rolled the dice and failed, this is on them.
Ivor: Brendan working his ticket again? Fans going to hound out Lawwell again? We're just lucky Rangers haven't got their act together. Sack the board.
Michelle: Not nearly good enough. Kyogo and Kuhn are long gone and Adam Idah is not anywhere near the standard we need.
John: Lack of re-investment of the transfer revenue clearly demonstrates the lack of ambition of the club.
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSA chant aimed at the Celtic board, which manager Brendan Rodgers could not ignore.
The Parkhead boss has endured an awkward summer transfer window, with some messages about the lack of signings subliminal and others quite transparent.
"There are only so many ways I can dress up that we don't have the players here," he lamented in the post-match press conference, trying to put a brave face on while answering the umpteenth question about his summer of frustration.
To add to that, there was a message to his players as his side were miles off it in the draw with their Kazakhstani opposition - ranked 255 places below them in the UEFA standings.
"If you're going to miss the bus, make sure you run," he added - a mantra that could perhaps also be applied to their policy of signings in the summer.
"With around 20 minutes left, the faces of chairman Peter Lawwell and CEO Michael Nicholson appeared on the big screens at Celtic Park.
The reaction of the crowd was not particularly friendly.
"What I do know is, over many years, 'sack the board' usually means 'sack the manager'," Rodgers joked. "It's normally the manager that goes when that starts to be sung!"
Although he said the above with a grin, the manager hasn't been shy in letting his true feelings be known on how slowly Celtic have moved this summer.
While Kieran Tierney and Benjamin Nygren have been added to the first team, the starting XI against Kairat still looked weak - particularly at the top end of the pitch.
"We need to improve the squad," he continued. "There's been clarity around that for a long time. Supporters see that.
"It's not my decision in the end. I can prepare the team, the staff, and the players that are here who have been fantastic in pre-season.
"We are all clear on where we need to improve, and for whatever reason we haven't been able to do that. We're in this position, we have to accept that and not dwell on it, and try and come through it."
The lack of strengthening in the summer was highlighted by some of the choices in Rodgers' starting XI against Kairat.
34-year-old James Forrest has been a squad player for the last few years, capable of coming off the bench and influencing games but rarely trusted from the beginning. He was in tonight.
Up top, Adam Idah was in again. At £9m last summer, he was far from a cheap deal but he is yet to convince as Celtic's star striker, despite owning the number nine shirt.
Off the bench, the alternative options in attack were Yang Hyun-jun - who replaced a hapless Idah at half-time - and two young strikers in Johnny Kenny and Callum Osmand.
It looked like a squad that had been decimated by injuries, yet only Jota remains on the sidelines.
"Midfield is Celtic's strongest area of the park," said former winger Aiden McGeady. "It's interesting with [Benjamin] Nygren - was it an area it needed strengthened? I'm not sure.
"A lot of questions are being asked about signings and transfer policy, but judge the club at the end of the window. The club have shown they're willing to spend the money."
Image source, SNSCeltic manager Brendan Rodgers: "We're disappointed with the result and first-half performance. We didn't start with the intent and mentality we wanted to. We were quite passive.
"We weren't moving as a team as we would like. The second half was better, we started well, but couldn't find the breakthrough in the final third of the pitch.
"Of course, you want to take the advantage. I've been here before, having drawn 0-0 in a qualification game against Rosenborg, a very good team, we went there to qualify and we did, played very well and won.
"There's no doubt we can go there and win. Of course, you want to take an advantage with you, it's still very much in the balance.
"What I do know is, over many years, 'sack the board' usually means 'sack the manager'. It's normally the manager that goes when that starts to be sung.
"I can only really look at the players we have here, and the performance. We've known for a long time what we've needed as a squad, so I don't want to go into that.
"At the end of the game, we have to shuffle things about to try and make it work. But the players' endeavour in the second half was really good. But at this level, it's more than that.
"Hopefully, we can show that. The boys are a great bunch of lads, really honest. They've started the season well, defensively been strong, but tonight offensively we couldn't show those moments of quality to break through.
"We need to improve the squad. There's been clarity around that for a long time. Supporters see that. We do in football. We need to improve.
"This is a performance club. That starts on the field. You do that by getting the very best players you possibly can to allow you to perform. To play a style that excites supporters.
"Hopefully between now and the end of the season, the club will get that and that will support us.
"It's not my decision in the end. I can prepare the team, the staff, and the players that are here who have been fantastic in pre-season. We are all clear on where we need to improve, and for whatever reason we haven't been able to do that.
"We're in this position, we have to accept that and not dwell on it, and try and come through it.
"As I said to the players at half-time, 'if you're going to miss the bus - make sure you run'. Don't be walking. Whatever happens, we have to give everything and make sure we're running."
Celtic's Champions League hopes hang very much in the balance after they were held to a goalless draw in Glasgow by enterprising Kazakh side Kairat.
The £40m bounty now lies at the end of a potentially hazardous road for Brendan Rodgers' side, with the Scottish champions facing a decisive second leg on Tuesday in Almaty, over 3,500 miles and several time zones away near the Chinese border.
Celtic fans, what did you make of the game? What needs to change before the second leg next week?
Image source, SNSCeltic captain Callum McGregor tells TNT Sports: "First half we were too slow and too passive.
"Second half we started well, on the front foot the whole half. We've still got another game, it's 0-0, we never lost.
"We have to go there next week and win.
"The connections weren't quite there to get us through the middle. It's on us to go there and qualify now.
"We know how much everyone wants it. It's our job to work [through the anxiety in the stadium] and keep playing."
Brendan Rodgers will lead his Celtic side out against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty on Wednesday in what will be his 800th competitive game in senior management.
The Northern Irishman is currently in his second spell at the club, with his first running from 2016 to 2019, before returning to Glasgow in 2023.
Rodgers has won four Scottish Premiership titles, three Scottish Cups, and four League Cup titles across his two spells at Parkhead.
He has also won 69.5% of his 279 games in charge of the club, only losing 41 times.
Image source, SNSSummer signing Hayato Inamura is still "not quite at the level" required to make his competitive debut for Celtic, says manager Brendan Rodgers.
The 23-year-old Japanese defender joined from J-League side Albirex Niigata in June on a four-year deal, having moved up to the professional level from university football in 2024.
He is still waiting to make a competitive appearance for the club and will not feature in their Champions League play-off tie against Kazakh side Kairat Almaty.
"It's very easy. He's not quite at the level, as of yet, that I would expect," the Celtic manager explained.
"The plan for Ina was to come in and train and see where he was at, with the possibility of going out on loan, because he's only had a year's football.
"He came in as a centre-half/left-back, but his defensive qualities aren't at the level that would see me put him in against Lamine Yamal if I had to. It's as simple as that. So that's why he's not involved.
"He's played in some really good games, against Cork and Queen's Park, but the reality is that's the level that we play, you get 80 per cent of the ball.
"But we also need a player that can defend. And we're hoping that over the couple of years, with experience and with maybe a loan, that that can take place. But at this very, very moment, that's why he's not in the squad. It's as simple as that."
New Celtic defender Hayato Inamura has been told by Brendan Rodgers he is not good enough to play in the Champions League - yet. (Daily Record)
Rodgers has warned any Celtic players whose focus may be drifting towards a late transfer window move by reminding them who pays their wages. (Daily Record)
A dearth of summer signings combined with Nicolas Kuhn's exit and Jota's injury make Celtic's £40m Champions League qualifying tie against Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan more treacherous than it should be. (The Scotsman)
Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.
Image source, SNSKairat Almaty head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin insists his side won't be intimated by the Celtic Park atmosphere, with the game approaching a 60,000 sell-out.
Kazakhstan has only been represented once in the group stage by Astana in 2015-16, and Celtic have previously overcome Shakhter Karagandy and Astana at the same stage.
"I don't think our players have to be specially motivated," Urazbakhtin said.
"We have seasoned players who have played big matches also in similar arenas. They have also represented their national teams so I don't see that they need any additional preparation.
"When it comes to the atmosphere we understand Celtic will have all this support from their fans. It will be challenging but we are ready to show our best qualities so let's see what happens."
The match involves a 7,000-mile round trip for the away team and Celtic are eager to make home advantage count before they do the same trip for next Tuesday's second leg.
"Yes, we understand Celtic will have a long-haul flight and they will maybe try to use their opportunity here," the Kairat boss added.
"When it comes to us, it's been a long fight. It took us more than 11 hours to fly to Glasgow but I don't think we will actually consider the flights and the logistics for these matches. It is what it is. There's no point talking about it.
"We just need to bite the bullet and adjust to the situation. We came beforehand and managed to get our rest. We won't be jet-lagged and the team will be in the best condition."
Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSCallum McGregor accepts Celtic must "keep progressing" - but the captain says it is also important the club adopts a quality-over-quanity approach to recruitment.
Despite supporter unrest about a lack of summer signings, the midfielder believes the current crop of players are more than good enough to take their place once again in the Champions League.
Speaking before the first leg of Celtic's play-off with Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan, the former Scotland international said: "Everyone is impatient in football. Everyone wants the next new shiny thing.
"We have to keep progressing and add quality, not just numbers just for the sake of it. The guys that are here, we have to trust them as well.
"We have full belief that with concentration and respect, we will have enough to qualify."
McGregor feels the side have "good momentum" at this early period in the season, having won all three of their games so far.
The captain says he's looking forward to the challenge of the Champions League play-offs, which feel like a bit of a novelty given the club have not had to qualify for the past couple few seasons.
McGregor is looking for more "control" in comparison to the qualifiers he has experienced in the past, particularly the 8-4 aggregate win over Astana, which was the last time Celtic faced Kazakh opposition.
"You feel you have to win by four or five at home to give yourself a chance," he adds. "Can we control the tie over two legs so it doesn't become chaos? Can we be more solid and not give up chances?
"We don't need a big scoreline [at home] if we bring our own style and can be more controlled."
McGregor made the point that the core of the Celtic team has been together for a while now and has achieved some good European results, which will stand them in good stead for a crucial two-legged play-off.
"It's massive," the 32-year-old said. "When the club makes the Champions League, everyone gets a bounce off it.
"It really sets you up and has a real feel-good factor, so there's a lot riding on these games."
Image source, SNSCeltic manager Brendan Rodgers has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to face Kairat Almaty in Wednesday night's Champions League play-off first leg.
Here are the main points:
Rodgers declined to elaborate on reports that his former striker at Leicester, Jamie Vardy, is keen to reunite with the Northern Irishman at Celtic.
The Celtic boss says he won't speak about an "individual player" but admits he "worked well with Jamie" during his time at Leicester.
Rodgers admits he doesn't know whether the club is waiting to see what European competition it's playing in before bringing in the new signings he needs.
He did, however, add that he's assuming no more players will arrive in time for the play-off matches with Kairat Almaty.
Rodgers knows his side are "going into games that mean everything" but stresses "if we don't have it within the building now, we have to work with what's here".
The manager says he's "confident" the current squad is good enough to get past the Kazakh champions and qualify for the league phase, which Rodgers says Celtic would "have to improve the squad" for.
Rodgers was also asked if the club is "world class in the transfer market", to which he replied: "I don't know about world class... we just want to be in the best place possible."
Rodgers added that he doesn't "want a situation where I look frustrated or am frustrated" as the "emotional transfer" of that can affect players.
Asked about the absence of recent signing Hayato Inamura from both the domestic and European squads, Rodgers says the 23-year-old's defensive qualities are not yet where they need to be.
The example Rodgers cited was he wouldn't be able to pitch Inamura in against someone like Lamine Yamal.
Tino
Fan writer
After weeks of relentless speculation, and with tomorrow night's first leg against Kairat Almaty now just over 24 hours away, we finally have clarity - Celtic have decided to hold off on any big-money signings this summer until Champions League qualification has been secured.
With an estimated £40m at stake, it's a high-risk strategy. Success could mean smart, calculated business. Failure could leave the squad exposed, and the fans frustrated.
The logic behind waiting is possibly understandable from a financial perspective. Why commit huge sums before knowing what level of European tournament we'll be competing at? Yet it's equally clear that this is an approach which sits uneasily with both the manager and the supporters.
Brendan Rodgers, who has consistently pushed for squad reinforcements, would surely prefer the certainty of early signings. Fans too are left pacing nervously, wondering whether the club is truly acting like the ambitious, top-tier outfit it aspires to be.
In a season where every competitive edge counts, is this caution really justified, or is it simply creating unnecessary tension? One can't help but question the wisdom of this strategy.
If the intention is to keep Rodgers content in the hope of securing a contract extension, the method seems counterintuitive. Managers thrive on clarity and support, and a delay in strengthening the squad risks sending mixed signals at a critical time.
For a club of Celtic's stature, fostering anxiety among the fans and uncertainty within the dressing room feels frankly like a very avoidable misstep. Still, following Celtic is about so much more than questioning boardroom decisions (we hope!). Tomorrow night offers a chance to focus on what matters most - the game.
A full Celtic Park will be buzzing as the Bhoys aim to lay the groundwork for a commanding lead ahead of the return leg in Kazakhstan next week. The Champions League dream is on the line, and for now at least, that's where our attention should be focussed.
Former Leicester City and England striker Jamie Vardy has his "heart set" on a move to Celtic and a reunion with Brendan Rodgers as he targets playing on until he is 40. (Sun), external
Feyenoord attacker Calvin Stengs, 26, is of interest to Celtic. (Daily Record), external
Dundee have held talks with Celtic over a loan deal for Colby Donovan, while Ayr United are also interested in the 18-year-old right-back. (Daily Record), external
Celtic are likely to bank a seven-figure sum from former player Ben Doak's move from Liverpool to Bournemouth. (Sun), external
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have been in talks with Celtic regarding a possible cooperation agreement this season. (Inverness Courier), external
Image source, Getty ImagesCharlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland
Image source, SNSAdam Idah is still searching for his first goal of the season
It's been 202 days since Kyogo Furuhashi left Celtic for Ligue 1 side Rennes and the Glasgow club are still struggling to replace him up front.
The Japanese striker netted 85 goals in his 165 appearances for Celtic, while assisting 19 more.
Adam Idah joined from Norwich City last summer after a loan spell the season before, but has struggled for consistency in green and white and is yet to score this term.
Shin Yamada and Callum Osmand have singed this summer from Kawasaki Frontale and Fulham, respectively. Yamada has only played 24 minutes of league football and came on as a substitute in the League Cup victory over Falkirk, while Osmand looks some way off first-team football.
Of the seven goals Celtic have scored so far this season, none have come from a striker.
Luke McCowan secured a late victory on the opening day against St Mirren while fellow midfielders Benjamin Nygren and Reo Hatate got the goals against Aberdeen.
Against Falkirk, defenders Alistair Johnston and Dane Murray, alongside winger Daizen Maeda got the goals, with Falkirk defender Liam Henderson also putting through his own goal.
Although Maeda has had some success playing through the middle for Celtic, Rodgers has opted for Idah and Johnny Kenny in that position so far this term.
While the goals being spread across the team is a positive signs for Celtic, it's undoubtedly worrying that their striking options are yet to fire, particularly when full-backs Johnston and Kieran Tierney are averaging nine passes into the final third per game.
With just two weeks left of the Scottish transfer window, it will be intriguing to see if Rodgers manages to bring in another option up front.
