Those who have a tendency to check out social media for their gossip will not have escaped the Bastian Schweinsteiger rumours.
The story goes that the German internationalist, who was almost immediately ousted from Manchester United by Jose Mourinho, is Celtic bound, should the club make it into the group stages of the Champions League.
Like much on social media, it is best taken with a large pinch of salt.
âI donât need a marquee signing that canât run," said Brendan Rodgers, after inviting journalists to share the names of some of the blockbuster players - at the end of their careers - linked with a move to the Parkhead club.
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One interesting piece that came out over the weekend was how disgruntled Schweinsteiger's Old Trafford colleagues were at the manner in which he approached last season, with reports suggesting that he jetted in and out of Manchester for game days and was largely absent from the training ground.
If Mourinho is right in thinking that Schweinsteiger's legs cannot maintain speed with his brain then Rodgers too is not keen on making a signing purely for commercial indulgence.
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Rodgers is still keen on one more signing coming into the club before the end of the transfer window, and it is fair to assume that his hand will be strengthened significantly if Celtic make it into the group stages of the Champions League tomorrow night. But they have to fit into the philosophy he is imparting at Celtic.
âIt doesnât have to be a marquee signing, âhe said. âI think we have brought in some really top talents who have come in and excited the supporters.
I can get you a marquee signing but theyâve got to be able to press and theyâve got to be able to run.
âFor me itâs never been about the name. But of course if the name is big and he can play, then great, but for me itâs about having the right profile of player who can come in.
âNo matter the age they have to be hungry in every single game and every training session and thatâs what I always look for.â
The Celtic manager did admit, however, that the estimated ÂŁ20m the club would collect if they make past Hapoel Beâer Sheva on Wednesday night would strengthen his hand considerably.
It is not only then that there is additional finds for Celtic to spend but also that the pulling power of the club can attract a certain calibre of player.
âThe market explodes doesnât it, the whole thing explodes when you make the Champions League,â said Rodgers. âBut we have to get there first. Thatâs our message. Weâve put ourselves in a brilliant position if you look across Europe at the scores in the Champions League or the Europa League and we are in a great position.
âBut we are focused. If we can get through there will be a bit of work to do between then and when the market shuts.â
If Celtic are successful in making it into the group stages, it will come on the back of three qualifying ties and six games.
The pressure, the intensity of the games at this time of the season and the magnitude of the results can be draining. Little wonder then that Rodgers described it as the hardest summer he had ever known in football.
âItâs the hardest pre-season Iâve ever done,â said the Celtic manager. âNo question about that. I take my hat off to the guys who have been here before me and who have gone through it. I spoke to Martin [OâNeill], I spoke to Neil [Lennon] just for a general chat, and the word I took away from it was âdangerousâ and I know exactly what they mean.
âI saw Lenny quoted that it was âawfulâ the other day. Itâs a very dangerous period because the demand physically and mentally at this stage of the season is unique.
âEspecially when you know what it can do for the country, not just the club, you are taking on responsibility for a nation to empower that and to help that. Itâs tough but hopefully the rewards are there for you.
âWe still have a bit of work to do but we have made great strides over the course of pre-season and the beauty of this group is that they are only going to get better and better as we roll out the concepts of how we want to play.â
And while Celtic supports can expect to see another signing of the club make it through tomorrow night, Rodgersâ only consideration is that they can fit into the philosophy he is imparting.
âI think as long as they maintain the hunger and the will, because this is a team that you have to be able to run in,â he said. âYou have to be athletic, you have to be able to press. You canât run forward if you canât run back, thatâs one of my rules for a team. Donât run forward if you canât run back. The athleticism the mobility the hunger the intensity has to be there and they have to be leading their life right. If thatâs a big name, great, and if we can do it, great, but if not we just get the best possible player that we can.â
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