With Celtic showing an awareness to push the boat out in their quest to land a new manager, I suspect that there will be a similar policy this summer when it comes to bringing in a couple of new players.

I have said all along that I don’t think the team needs overwhelming surgery.

But bringing in a couple of big-name, experienced players to reinforce what is there already can go a substantial way to getting Celtic into the position the club believes it belongs.

The back four essentially takes care of itself if Erik Sviatchenko and Jozo Simunovic can stay fit, while if you get Scott Brown fully fit in a way that he hasn’t been for the last few months then the middle of the park is relatively straightforward too.

But another striker, a striker of some repute, is a necessary addition. That is to take nothing away from Leigh Griffiths who has performed remarkably in a season which he has not had much support – either in leading the line or with others contributing to the goals – but he can continue to excel with someone else playing alongside him.

The other position where I would like to see an addition is a midfielder who brings leadership, some physicality and a little bit of guile.

The irony is that Celtic are overloaded with midfield players but they are all very similar. It has given the squad an imbalanced look and I do think that there will be a few who make way this summer.

You would have to say that Dermot Desmond and Peter Lawwell have been acutely aware of the importance of getting this managerial appointment right – and getting the right players to consolidate that decision will be just as vital.

There are obvious financial restraints at the club and we all understand why they exist. But I do suspect that this is an instance where the club is prepared to tweak that structure in order to get the man they want – with Brendan Rodgers the frontrunner.

There was a time when the likes of Rodgers, Roy Keane and Davie Moyes would not have considered coming to Glasgow. But I think you have to accept that the club have went all out to bring in a top candidate – and also that Celtic as a club still carries significant weight.

Their environment will always restrict them in some way but the actual heritage of the club, the prestige in which it is held and the magnitude of the Celtic name cannot be overlooked. It is a club that remains well regraded.

I am not convinced that Celtic will waver dramatically from their financial stream but I do think that there will be a little bit of elasticity with it in order to bring in the man they want and then to give him the funds to bring in at least a couple of players.

Also, if you look across the city where Rangers look keen on landing Joey Barton and have also been linked with Niko Kranjcar, I think it sends a message out. If they are making acquisitions such as that then they will most certainly be challenging Celtic next season.

Barton might have a reputation for being a hot-head but his football ability should not go unnoticed. It would be an audacious signing, if it goes through, from Rangers and there is no question that it sends out a message.

However, the clear objective whoever gets the job, whether that is Rodgers or not, will be in getting the club back into the environment of the Champions League group stages. Striving to win the league will always be a given but the real marker for Celtic is to progress again in Europe.

The club have understood that Ronny Deila was leaving for quite some time and they have done their homework in terms of speaking to various people, of doing the background work and things have moved at a relatively good pace simply because everyone understands that time is of the essence.

We should expect to hear a formal agreement imminently and it sets the club up for the summer and offers the new manager to get his feet under the desk and get organised for the qualifers which kick-off mid-July.

It is an exciting time for the club. It is the beginning of a new chapter and I think the manner in which the curtain came down on the season sent everyone away in a relatively optimistic frame of mind.