Brendan Rodgers believes Celtic have seven days to put together a squad that is not simply a minor act in the Champions League.
While the Parkhead club have recruited Kasper Schmeichel and secured the permanent return of Adam Idah and Paulo Bernardo, the expected influx of quality players capable of challenging for a place in the manager’s team has yet to materialise.
While Rodgers remains hopeful that the situation can change when the transfer window closes at 11pm next Friday, he says he shares supporters’ frustration that more deals have yet to be concluded.
Celtic will also learn their European fate next week, with the draw for the revamped Champions League taking place in Switzerland on Thursday.
In his first season back at the club, Rodgers’ side were competitive in most of their six group games but still managed just four points and finished bottom of the group.
Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers is still looking for reinforcements for his Celtic squad
Rodgers listens to Cameron Carter-Vickers, alongside John Kennedy, at Friday’s training session
And for the story to be any different this time around, the Northern Irishman feels there will need to be a number of pedigree additions to his squad in the coming days.
“When we won the league last season, my ambition was to go into this new format and see if we could break through that barrier and get into the knockout stages,” Rodgers said.
‘I knew what we had to do. That is still very much in our plan. This club has played very well in recent years, but has not been able to take the next step.
‘To be able to do that as a manager, you know the improvements you have to make.
“Last year we were close in many games. We won the first game for a little while (against Feyenoord), but we want to build on that and move forward. For that I know what we need. Hopefully we can do it.”
While Sheffield United defender Auston Trusty is on the radar along with LAFC attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, Rodgers confirmed nothing is imminent.
Asked to explain why the process appeared to have stalled, Rodgers replied: “Sometimes you might miss players in the market who have left.
‘There is availability, there is affordability, but there are still players we can get who will allow us to grow and develop.
‘I don’t want to go into too much detail because we will be judged at the end of the market.
‘That’s when things really get tough in this final week.
“I’m very happy with the signings we’ve made and that gives us the squad we had last season. But we want to improve and we have to improve if we’re a club with ambition and we want to be better, then we have to look at that.”
Rodgers was asked if signing new players was dependent on other star names like Matt O’Riley leaving first.
“No, because we haven’t spent a lot of money relative to where we hope to be as a club,” he said.
‘I would be thinking about doing business and it should not depend on the players leaving.
‘We are practically at the same pace as last season.
Kyogo Furuhashi is understood to be under consideration by Manchester City
“If we want to improve, we should try to be active in the market.”
O’Riley remains a target for Brighton and the Dane is likely to leave if the Seagulls submit a £25m bid.
Kyogo Furuhashi is a player Manchester City could sign if Pep Guardiola decides to look for cover, although there has been no move for the Japanese yet.
In both cases, Rodgers is adamant there will be a cut-off point next week to ensure Celtic do not have to rush back and forth at the last minute to try and secure replacements.
“For any player, things aren’t going to come down to the wire,” Rodgers said.
‘We have an important week next week after the game against St Mirren, preparing for our last game of this block.
“I wouldn’t want that to stop at all.”