BRENDAN Rodgers has admitted that Celtic may be unable to reject a big money bid from a Saudi Arabian club for one of his players after the transfer window in Scotland closes next month.
And the Northern Irishman has described the increased investment the oil-rich Middle East nation is making in football as “dangerous”.
Rodgers is keen to add several more players to his squad in the coming fortnight with a punishing schedule of domestic and European matches coming up in the 2023/24 campaign.
However, he is well aware that Saudi Pro League clubs will be able to make signings for three weeks after the Scottish window closes on Friday, September 1.
He echoed the sentiments of his Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp when he admitted he would like football’s governing bodies to ensure uniformity across the global game.
Celtic sold Portuguese winger Jota to Al-Ittihad for £25m at the start of last month and Rodgers confessed they may not be able to stave off further interest in his players next month.
“We had it (windows overlapping) a few years back,” he said. “I can remember the Premier League window was shutting early, but the European one stayed open.
“There was one where Eden Hazard left late on and it left Chelsea in a difficult position. It was changed after that. I think to synchronise football across Europe and elsewhere would be better. Of course, if the Saudi window is open it will be interesting.
“Listen, I think every manager would ideally want it (the window) to finish when the first games starts. But it doesn’t so we will have to deal with whatever comes our way.”
Asked if he was confident that Celtic would reject an eight figure bid for one of the treble winners’ key men, he said: “That is difficult to say isn’t it?
“That is nothing to do with Celtic really. A club from Saudi could come in and offer money, a life-changing deal, to a player. That then wobbles the player and you don’t get the same player. That is unfortunately what can happen.
“You can decide to keep the player – but you might not have the same player. So there is all type of thing you always have to weigh up as a club.”
Rodgers revealed this week that he had spoken to a club in Saudi Arabia after he left Leicester City and before he agreed to come back to Celtic – and he conceded he was impressed with their attempts to become a football superpower.
“I had two really long meetings with a team out there,” he said. “What makes it interesting is they obviously have a plan, in terms of what they are wanting to do and achieve in terms of football, and they have money. So there are two items there that are dangerous, a plan and money. They want the game to grow.
“It can be a challenge. It is interesting to see the number of top players who have gone out there. I have spoken at length to Jordan Henderson before he went. We have seen the other players going out.
“In terms of profile, if you are taking the current Liverpool captain to Saudi Arabia then of course I would say it’s a big deal.
“It is interesting. If players, managers and coaches are going to be offered the level of finance that is being offered then of course it can make you wobble.
“From a financial perspective of course it was interesting. Out of respect I spoke to them and I spoke to them again. But my whole mindset still at that point was to have the time out It was obviously only after that that I spoke to Celtic.”
