RONNY Deila watched his side take a major step towards the treble then admitted he will be spending the international week stepping up efforts to strengthen his squad for next season.
The Norwegian, whose side opened up a healthy five-point lead, with a game in hand, at the top of the SPFL table with a straightforward 3-0 victory against Dundee United yesterday, jets out this week on a secret scouting mission. In particular, he hopes the club can rival Ajax as a destination of choice for the next wave of promising young players from abroad.
"We will go and watch players," said Deila. "I will probably take a check. This is a process going on all the time. We are in a good place, in control. Hopefully we can keep everybody but we have to try and add players that can make us better. We have to keep on working because the goal is to win everything and to get to the Champions League. We have no days to lose.
"We will bring in players but I think we will bring in younger players to build the next generation behind the current one," he added. "If we are going to fight with the best clubs in Europe about the best 22-year-olds then you can forget it, no chance. The only chance we have to get a world-class player is to go to 16/17-year-olds and say you will train with the first-team. Ajax gets it because they have an unbelievable reputation and we have to build over the years a reputation that if you come to Celtic you see what is happening, you get sold to the big clubs and get good development."
As for this season, yesterday had the look of an important day in the title race. "There is still a lot to fight for, there are many games still to play but we are in a very good position and everything is in our hands," said Deila. "I would be very surprised if we get a big dip now because of the way we are training and playing. I am very confident now that we are in a very good position."
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