Celtic need to be more like Rangers on transfers, says Go Ahead Eagles chairman

Celtic have been told they need to be more like rivals Rangers in the way they conduct their transfer business.

Go Ahead Eagles chairman Jan Willem van Dop says he has dealt with both Glasgow clubs in recent weeks and found a stark difference between them.

Van Dop said at the end of July that the club would only sell one of wingers Oliver Antman and Jakob Breum this summer. Rangers were linked with Antman, while he said Celtic had made contact about Breum.

Since then, Antman has completed a move to Ibrox and made his debut, and an instant impact, in the Champions League qualifier against Viktoria Plzen.

Breum remains a Go Ahead player, while Celtic have been criticised for their lack of major signings in the transfer window so far.

The Dutch club’s chairman says Celtic’s offer was nowhere near Go Ahead’s valuation of Breum, and advised the club to up their game if they want to land their targets.

“Celtic showed some interest in Jakob Breum, but we felt that the gap between us was too wide,” Van Dop told Algemeen Dagblad.

“Things moved very quickly with Oliver Antman and Glasgow Rangers. Celtic could have taken a leaf out of Rangers’ book, haha.”

Speaking last week, Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers made it clear he wanted new players in, and that he wanted to continue to deliver improvements on the squad and in results.

“I am not here to maintain levels, this is a really fast moving club and you have to keep moving quickly,” he said.

“It’s one of the biggest clubs in world football and there is always a demand and an expectation, and the only way to get better is to keep improving and developing.

“The message to the supporters is that everyone here will be doing our upmost to improve on last season, and it’s a really exciting season ahead, and if we can add where we need to add then it can be even better for us.

“For clarity, I love being here, yes there has been some challenges on the pitch, and off the pitch, since I have arrived, but that is management, that is coaching, but in the main I have absolutely loved it here and will continue to do so for however long that is.

“But, there has to be that ambition from everyone, it’s no good just the manager having it and the players not, or whatever else, everything has to be aligned. I know that the club are also very keen to progress and develop.