Will 22-year-old midfielder prove Rodgers wrong? Celtic summer departures rated
By James Black
Brendan Rodgers found himself in the enviable position of having an unbeaten team last season, so when it came to adding new faces he was going to be faced with some tough decisions on who to let go.
In the end, it was almost exclusively youngsters and fringe players Rodgers axed but there were one or two names who raised eyebrows among Celtic fans too.
With the incredibly high bar of last years Invincibles to try match has Rodgers got it right with his squad building, or has he made a mistake in letting some of his more experienced players leave Celtic Park?
Here, Football Insider rates the Celtic departures, including a 22-year-old midfielder looking to prove Brendan Rodgers wrong on loan.
Click '2' below to see the veteran star Celtic let go when his contract ended
1. Kris Commons
Kris Commons had done it all at Celtic.
League titles, cup wins and big European nights had all been checked off the veteran's to-do list but last season was to be his last as a Celtic player.
Finding his opportunities ever decreasing thanks to the emergence ofyounger talent, Commons moved on over the summer and is expected to join former boss Neil Lennon at Hibs once he recovers from a back problem.
Football Insider rating: 7/10
Click '3' below to see the young striker Celtic hope can fire them to seven-in-a-row
2. Saidy Janko
Signed from Manchester United in 2015, Janko never met expectations at Celtic and only made 10 league appearances for the Hoops.
The right-back never looked comfortable and was shipped off to St. Etienne over the summer after spending last season on loan at Barnsley.
He won't be a loss to anyone.
Football Insider rating: 9/10
Click '4' below to see the midfielder who never fulfilled his potential at Celtic
3. Gary Mackay-Steven
Gary Mackay-Steven was a one-man highlight reel at Dundee United but never lived up to the hype at Celtic.
A regular under Ronny Deila, GMS couldn't get a look in under Brendan Rodgers and moved to Aberdeen over the summer.
Still a talented player, it's clear he needs games to get back to his best and it was almost certain that wouldn't happen under Rodgers.
Already made a bright start to his Aberdeen career despite some unsavoury off-field headlines.
Football Insider rating: 5/10
Click '5' below to see the veteran defender who has found a new lease of life after leaving Celtic
4. Efe Ambrose
Efe Ambrose is one of those players who people will never agree on.
A cult figure at Celtic, for good and bad reasons, Ambrose never really got going under Rodgers before heading on loan to Hibs last season.
A decent spell at Easter Road saw Hibs make the move permanent over the summer as they return to the top-flight after three years in the Championship.
It probably won't be long until the Hibs fans are digging out the Efe Ambrose memes after a mistake by the big defender.
Football Insider rating: 7/10
Click '6' below to see the defender heading for the Olympics ater leaving Celtic
5. Kolo Toure
Yaya's brother was on the fringes of Rodgers' side as they won the treble last season.
With his advancing years, Toure was looking to split his time between playing and coaching however Celtic couldn't find room for him within their Academy so let him leave when his deal expired.
Another who was unlikely to get regular playing time this season so it suited both parties to go their separate ways.
Recently resurfaced after being appointed manager of Ivory Coast's Olympic team.
Football Insider rating: 6/10
Click '7' below to see the midfielder who hopes to prove Brendan Rodgers wrong
6. Ryan Christie
Like Gary Mackay-Steven, Christie has never really had much of a chance under Rodgers and the 22-year-old will be aiming to use his loan at Aberdeen to show the Hoops boss he was wrong to put him out on loan.
Undoubtedly talented, Christie hasn't had a steady run of games since signing for Celtic and the stability of regular football at Aberdeen should let him show just how good he is.
Six goals in 13 appearances on loan at the Dons last season would suggest he's more than capable.
Football Insider rating: 4/10
Click '8' below to see the striker everyone had forgotten about
7. Nadir Ciftci
Admit it, you'd forgotten he was still a Celtic player too.
Ciftci's latest loan takes him to Plymouth Argyle as he wears down his Celtic contract.
Loans at Eskişehirspor and Pogoń Szczecin have seen Ciftci play more games out on loan than he has for Celtic since his move from Dundee United.
The quicker this one is over, the better. For everyone.
Football Insider rating: 6/10
Click '8' below to see the defender everyone was sad to see leave
7. Emilio Izaguirre
Honduran full back Emilio Izaguirre spent seven trophy-laden years at Celtic Park before leaving this summer.
With over 250 appearances in the Hoops, Izaguirre had become a genuine fan's favourite during his time in Scotland.
However, the emergence of Kieran Tierney made it difficult for the 31-year-old to feature regularly so, a year after he originally thought he was leaving, Izaguirre departed for Al-Fayha.
A fantastic servant to Celtic and much under-rated as a player.
Football Insider rating: 7/10
In other Celtic news, Pep Guardiola pulled the plug on an £8 million Celtic bid for this English youth international.
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