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Celtic confirm Brendan Rodgers’ return as manager on three-year contract

<span>Photograph: Robert Perry/EPA</span>
Photograph: Robert Perry/EPA

Celtic have confirmed the return of Brendan Rodgers as their manager on a three-year contract. Rodgers left Leicester at the start of April and is going back to the club where he won consecutive domestic trebles before departing in 2019.

The 50-year-old replaces Ange Postecoglou, who has joined Tottenham after delivering a treble this season. John Kennedy, who was wanted by Postecoglou at Spurs, is staying at Celtic to work as Rodgers’ assistant.

Rodgers said: “I am really delighted to return to Celtic and I am hugely excited by this great opportunity. When I was given the privilege of being asked to join the club again, it was a very simple decision for me and my family.

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“We have enjoyed some great times at Celtic before and this will be my goal again, to deliver good football, ensure we have a team we all love to watch and ultimately bring more success to our fans.”

Rodgers’ first spell at Celtic started in May 2016, seven and a half months after he had been sacked by Liverpool. He won all seven available domestic trophies before angering a section of the Celtic support by taking the Leicester job in February 2019. Rodgers won an FA Cup with Leicester and achieved two fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League before struggling this season.

Celtic’s chairman, Peter Lawwell, said: “It was clear that Brendan was the outstanding choice and we are absolutely delighted that we have appointed him on a long-term contract. We wanted a proven winner and that’s what Brendan is.”