Lee Congerton reveals real reason for Celtic exit and names two EPL stars he tried to sign

Celtic’s recruitment department has been handed yet more criticism – from the former head of it.Lee Congerton was in charge of that area of the club during Brendan Rodgers‘ first spell and was questioned by supporters during a spell in which the likes of Martin Compper, Youssouf Mulumbu, Oliver Burke and Jeremy Toljan were brought in and flopped. The former Wales youth international, 52, is now at Serie A side Atalanta after a spell at Leicester with Rodgers.The former Hoops head of recruitment has now moved to distance himself from some of the signing decisions,

insisting he left Parkhead because some players he didn’t want anything to do with were brought in. He also claims he tried to bring in Christopher Nkunku, who has ended up in Chelsea, and Aston Villa’s Moussa Diaby from the PSG youth system.Congerton told The Telegraph: “At Celtic, we had no money. Peter Lawwell is a nice man, he’s an accountant. Brendan spoke to me and said we needed pace and power, speed. We all know PSG has an amazing youth programme with players at the time who were never going to play for PSG.“Two of the other players we tried to sign during my time were Diaby, who is now at Aston Villa, and Nkunku, who is now at Chelsea.“But there were several players I didn’t want to be anywhere near them, and that is why I left. Peter knows that, and so did Brendan. Atalanta is very different.”