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BOTH Glasgow giants have work to do this summer as the arms race begins in earnest for next season’s Premiership title – and the automatic Champions League group stage spot which goes with it.
That’s the view of former Celtic hero Charlie Nicholas, but he also reckons this summer it is the Ibrox men who need to be far BUSIER in terms of recruitment than Ange Postecoglou’s Hoops.
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The sense of transition is clearest at Rangers, where Giovanni van Bronckhorst tackles his first summer transfer window.
So far the Ibrox men have brought in John Souttar on a Bosman to replace the departing Leon Balogun, with Steven Davis agreeing a new contract and discussions under way with a view to keeping Allan McGregor in a player/coaching role.
But question marks surround the likes of Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Borna Barisic and Joe Aribo – all of whom are entering the final year of their deals – not to mention the highly-prized Calvin Bassey.
At Celtic, the main focus appears to be on agreeing permanent deals for loan heroes Jota and Cameron Carter Vickers although Vasilis Barkas has been allowed to leave on a 12-month loan to Utrecht.
Former Hoops star Nicholas expects Rangers to emerge STRONGER next season, but they need five or six new signings for that to be the case.
He told BonusCodeBets: “Rangers will absolutely be stronger next season under Giovanni Bronckhorst.
“Van Bronckhorst has done well as a new coach, and it’s okay saying the fundamentals are okay but Rangers were just in freefall at the time and Celtic started to overtake them in the Scottish Premier League.
“It stabilised it a little bit during the season, but van Bronckhorst didn’t have a number nine.
“He wasn’t trying to play like Pep, Morelos was just injured, and no one else was available.
“Kemar Roofe, in all honesty, is not a brilliant number nine, but he does do a job for you.
“Van Bronckhorst stabilised the squad, got it together after a few injuries, and some movement in the transfer window.
“I thought he did a magnificent job taking them to a final in the Europa League and they will get stronger next season.
“He needs five or six players to make this a strong squad, challenging Celtic and in the Europa League.”
Nicolas explains why he reckons that Celtic winning the league was a BIGGER achievement than Rangers winning the league.
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“Celtic winning the league title was a bigger achievement than Rangers reaching the Europa League final because just over a year ago, Celtic were in turmoil.
“There was a mix of coaches and managers who would only answer to the board, and then they finally got in a man who said ‘stop, don’t get involved’.
“Also, Ange Postecoglou got them straight back into the giant pit of Champions League.
“Not qualifiers, no embarrassment, just straight in.
“He’s brought Hollywood back to Celtic Park.
“When I was a kid and followed Celtic, I followed the Lisbon Lions and in the latter years I remember them beating Rangers on many occasions.
“The European names were so fantastic. Liverpool, Celtic and Borussia Dortmund have something special about European midweek nights under the lights.
“The atmosphere is unbelievable, and Celtic have always had that. I can’t wait for those games to come back.
“There’s something that gives me the vibe that Celtic are ready to take the big scalp again at Celtic Park and memorable nights.”
“I absolutely love Celtic. They’ve been dynamic and relentless for the first 25 minutes in games and could sometimes be three goals up.
“They will want a much stronger bench, the players they bought in January have come in have done well.
“Their defence is still a little bit vulnerable, they did well in the second part of the season, but there’s a little feeling that they’ll be vulnerable at the back because they play the same way Brendan Rodgers did when he came to Celtic; its attack- attack- attack. I love it.
“I never wanted to be a defender in purely defensive minded teams. Celtic do need a stronger heartbeat in their defence, so they’ll probably need at least one full back, and probably another centre midfielder.
“I admire what Ange Postecoglou is trying to do and I’m all in on him no matter what.
“He does have a plan B, and it does not involve parking the bus, he doesn’t believe in it.”
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