Brendan Rodgers understands fan frustrations at lack of Celtic signings

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says he understands supporters’ frustrations after the club failed to bring in a new striker in the January transfer window.

Japan forward Kyogo Furuhashi departed for French side Rennes leaving the Premiership leaders short at the top end of the pitch.

They had earmarked a couple of options to come in, but that failed to materialise and they ended the window with two new recruits in winger Jota and full-back Jeffrey Schlupp.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, ahead of their game against Dundee at Celtic Park on Wednesday, he said: “We wanted another striker so we’re not hiding behind anything.

“And absolutely the supporters will look and see a top striker going out, a legendary striker and we haven’t replaced it.

“So I understand that. But all I can do is affect what we have now, and look to teach and work very hard and finish off what has been so far, a great season for us.

“We did some really good business in the window, one or two things didn’t quite drop for us that we would have liked, but when it ends, you know the squad you have and fundamentally, we need to develop the players that are here for the rest of the season.

“We brought in Jota, who will be a fantastic player for us, and we can see that already after his return in the early stages, so I am really excited to work with him.

“We’ve also brought in Jeffrey (Schlupp), and we are delighted to have him here, we obviously weren’t planning to lose Alex Valle, but to be able to bring in a really experienced player who has great physical and technical qualities to support Greg, then we are delighted with those guys coming in.”

On a replacement for Kyogo, who scored 85 goals during his three and a half years at Parkhead, Rodgers said: “I think I was clear in that it was something we wanted to do, we wanted to have that support in the top end of the field and we didn’t manage to do that.

“Like I said, I look now, and Johnny Kenny will be here, and in the three weeks or so he has been training with us, we have seen a real difference in him from playing in Europe with Shamrock Rovers.

“He’s a brilliant finisher; physically, he looks in a good place, so I am now putting my time into him now because he is a natural finisher, and there is no doubt about that.

“The transfer windows are never as plain and simple as some people will think, we all understood everyone and we all want the same at Celtic.

“We all know that we lost a top class striker and we wanted to bring in another one, but if it doesn’t happen then we have to deal with that and understand going forward that we can be better in that process.

“I think we brought in some really good players, could we have done better? Yes we could have, however we will work with the players who are here now and that is the focus. I don’t want to be looking back.”