Celtic are hoping to loan Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 21-year-old left-back Hugo Bueno, but no agreement is close. The Scottish champions are trying for a season-long loan after failing to land Bueno in January.
Bueno is behind Rayan Ait-Nouri in the pecking order at Molineux, but still featured 25 times in all competitions last season. Wolves have already made it clear to Celtic that they don’t want to engage yet, as they are still assessing whether Bueno needs to be sent out for additional minutes. As a result, a loan will only happen later in the window. Wolves are in no rush and could choose to keep Bueno in their senior squad this season.
Rodgers Discusses Potential Bueno Move
“I obviously know him from his time playing in the Premier League, but I have nothing more to say than that,” Rodgers told GIVEMESPORT.
Rodgers was also tight-lipped about Paulo Bernardo, but Celtic are believed to be closing in on a deal for the 22-year-old Benfica midfielder, who has already agreed a five-year contract.
“Nothing from my end. I haven’t spoken to [CEO] Michael [Nicholson] recently. There has been a process in place to try and get players in, but I have nothing more to add to that.”
Celtic have already signed free agent Kasper Schmeichel, who won the 2015/16 Premier League with Leicester, and 22-year-old Finnish keeper Viljami Sinisalo, who has joined from Aston Villa for around £1m.
The 54-time Scottish champions would love Adam Idah to return following his nine goals in 19 games last season, but Norwich City have rejected a bid in excess of £4m. Talks are also ongoing to extend Greg Taylor’s contract, which expires in 2025.
“I have enjoyed working with Greg and he’s someone we want to tie down for the longer term,” said Rodgers. “There was communication towards the end of last season. I also met with Greg’s agent to talk through the importance of where I see him but also to be open and honest about where everything is at. It’s clear we want to keep him.”
Rodgers Denies Chelsea Rumours
Rodgers returned to Celtic last summer and won the Scottish Premier League and Scottish Cup in 2023/24. Whilst a free agent, having left Leicester City in April 2023, he was linked with Chelsea. But the 51-year-old Irishman says there was “no approach” from Chelsea’s owners.
“None whatsoever,” revealed Rodgers. “Chelsea was a club that played a big part in my development. I had ten really good years as a coach at Reading, and I was then able to go to Chelsea and work at a different level. Jose Mourinho had just come in that summer and I joined in September. The ambition for Chelsea was to be one of the biggest clubs in world football over the next decade and from 2004 to 2014 that’s what they became right the way across all levels.
“I have seen, sadly, a couple of the guys have left there, Neil Bath and Jim Fraser. I worked very closely with them, especially Neil, because it was myself, Neil and Lee Congerton in the recruitment team and the three of us were charged with taking the club forward. I have so many great memories there. It was a real privilege to work with the players that I did. I was given a great support system off the field and it created a really strong platform for me to become a manager.”
Rodgers Backs Enzo Maresca to Succeed
Rodgers knows all about walking into big clubs and having to get instant results. He had that kind of pressure when he joined Liverpool in June 2012 and during both his spells at Celtic. The Celtic boss is now backing new Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca to succeed at Stamford Bridge but admits it’s not an easy job to take on.
“First of all, I was surprised that Mauricio Pochettino went since after the challenges at the beginning you could see by the end what he was trying to do and the players were buying into it. I was disappointed for him that he couldn’t continue with his work.
“Enzo has come in having done very, very well at Leicester, getting them back to the Premier League, but Chelsea is a totally different challenge. The expectation around Chelsea, to be one of the most successful clubs in the world, will always be there among the support base.
“They have got some fantastic players and I am sure Enzo and his staff will do a really, really good job there. They are just at the beginning of the process now, and trying to convince the players how you want to play is always the challenge. That’s the first task. Enzo will be very clear on how he wants to play.
“When I went into Liverpool I was 39, which feels young compared to now in my career. When you go in as a coach or manager to a big club, the expectation is there from the beginning and you have to have inherent belief in your work and a good staff around you as well as collaboration with the ownership so they understand.
“It feels like there’s a process at Chelsea in terms of where they want to get to. They have brought in a lot of really, really talented young players that are going to develop and improve with good coaching and management. And it’s important the players and manager get that chance to evolve together. Time in football is not something you’re given a lot of, but you have to have that in order to work how you need to work, especially with young players.”
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