Brendan Rodgers wants to add more goals to Celtic squad in transfer window

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers declared there was still “a lot of work” left in his summer transfer business after adding Japanese striker Shin Yamada.

The 25-year-old was introduced to supporters before a 4-0 friendly victory against Newcastle but Rodgers is looking for more goal threats.

The Scottish champions previously added Kieran Tierney, Hayato Inamura, Benjamin Nygren, Callum Osmand and Ross Doohan to their squad but Rodgers said: “I’ve still got a lot of work to do.

“But the guys that are training and working with us are doing so well. They’re all developing their fitness and participating in the games for us.

“But I would expect us by the end of the window to have brought in players in certain areas of the pitch that we will need to go through a really long season.

“I think it’s bringing goals to the squad. Especially when you score four goals, it seems like you’re okay, but we lost an important player in Kyogo in January, he brought us a lot of goals. We lost Nicolas Kuhn. He brought us a lot of goals. Matt O’Riley even last summer.

“So even though we scored a lot of goals last season, we still want more. And our ambition is to have more. So I think all across the front areas, we have to be active in order to give us that depth that we need.”

Yamada has arrived from Kawasaki Frontale, where he scored 32 goals in 121 appearances, on a four-year contract.

The 25-year-old recently won his first international cap and joins compatriots Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Inamura at Celtic Park.

Rodgers said: “His profile suits how we play. He’s one of the quickest players from the Japanese league. He’s deemed quicker than Daizen and Kyogo in terms of statistics.

“And that’s how we play. We have speed on the top line. He’ll give us that depth as well.”

Celtic have Champions League play-offs to navigate in the second half of August but Rodgers is prepared to be patient for further signings.

“Any coach would love to have them in on the first day of pre-season,” he said. “But we all know how the market works. We get a busy little period and then there’s another period and then it ramps up at the end.

“But as long as they’re here by the end of August and obviously in some areas we would like them sooner, but by the end of August, we’ll be able to see the squad that we have and take it from there.”

Celtic swept Newcastle aside thanks to an Arne Engels penalty, Johnny Kenny’s easy finish after a mistake from goalkeeper Nick Pope, a goal from Yang Hyun-jun on the counter-attack, and Liam Scales’ header.

Rodgers, whose side beat Sporting Lisbon 2-0 in midweek, said: “It was an excellent exercise. We had a really tough ten days over in Portugal and played a really good game on Wednesday night.

“So, just a continuation. The guys are looking strong, getting better. And, obviously, our tactical idea against a top team, you’re looking to play with that authority and creativity. And it was really good.”