CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted he had hoped to bring in more players this month to finalise his squad for the Champions League qualifiers but will wait until the summer if the right targets do not become available in the next few days.

Rodgers had previously stated his intention to use the January window to enhance his squad with a view to them being bedded in by the time European football rolls around in July.

With two days of the window remaining, however, Celtic’s only signing has been Eboue Kouassi, while a number of younger players, including Ryan Christie, have been sent out on loan. Rodgers revealed he would have liked to have made additional signings by now but wouldn’t rush into expanding his squad for the sake of it.

“We won’t be as close [to having the squad ready for the Champions League] as I would want it, I don’t think, by the end of the window,” he admitted.

“But if we don’t get the players that I would want through them not being available, then OK. I’m happy with the players in the squad that we have. I’ll just have to wait until the summer in order to do the next bit. It’s through no fault of the club.

“This window is always tough. I won’t just bring in anyone. It has to be a player who’s going to improve our squad. If that isn’t available, for whatever reason, then there’s not much you can do. It’s not Football Manager on the computer, where you just pull them out and transfer them. It’s a wee bit more than that. So if it doesn’t happen, OK. I’d want it to but if it doesn’t, we just have to wait and be patient.”

Kouassi, the 19 year-old midfielder, completed the formalities of his move from Russian side Krasnodar last week but won’t be considered for a debut against Hearts this afternoon.

“Eboue needs some time to adjust,” Rodgers said. “He’s out training and doing light work. He needs time over the next couple of weeks [to settle in].”