It has been a whirlwind couple of months at Celtic. Ange Postecoglou joined Tottenham Hotspur, Jota opted to move to Saudi Arabia and Aaron Mooy was forced into retirement due to a back injury.

All were personalities who brought different things to the club. However, times change in football and the Scottish champions are now beginning life under Brendan Rodgers for the second time in seven years. The 50-year-old won every domestic trophy he contested during his first spell in charge and will be looking to repeat that success.

The Hoops lifted a treble last season and Rodgers will be aiming to achieve that again as well as competing in the Champions League.

Therefore, it feels like a good time to try and predict the outcomes of the 2023/24 campaign.

Player of the Season

This is always a difficult one. The squad is full of talented individuals who offer different skill sets. Kyogo Furuhashi scooped both the club's own version of this award and also the PFA's as the Japan international received plaudits for his sensational campaign.

It is his fellow countryman who will be awarded the title for the upcoming season, though, as Reo Hatate is the outstanding choice. The midfielder would have been a strong contender for the accolade last season had he not missed a portion of the campaign through injury.

He scored nine goals and provided 11 assists across 45 appearances last year, and - given Rodgers' history of developing players - you would not bet against him improving the 25-year-old. He looks set to feature in the double-pivot role with Callum McGregor and will undoubtedly be an important part of any success Celtic have this season.

Prediction: Reo Hatate

READ MORE: Alan Morrison's Celtic 2023/24 season predictions

Young Player of the Season

Matt O'Riley received this accolade from Celtic's official award selection last season. He was the obvious choice, given his creative stats. It proves more difficult to try and guess who will win the award this year.

Liel Abada is the player who immediately springs to mind as he looks to be reinvigorated under the new manager. After a strong showing during pre-season, he looks set to play play an important role this season. Abada has made a positive contribution during his first two campaigns at the club, scoring 28 goals and providing 20 assists across 101 appearances.

While his stats are positive, his game needs some improvement in some areas, such as his dribbling. However, Rodgers appears to have already made an impact in that department, as Abada looked keen to take on his man in the most recent friendly against Wolves.

Predicition: Liel Abada

Top goalscorer 

This is probably the simplest prediction on this list, given the exploits of Kyogo last season. The Japan international netted 34 times for the Hoops and was a vital part of the club winning a treble.

One of Rodgers' aims will be to create even more chances for the 28-year-old, and the player himself will be desperate to beat his total from the previous campaign. While Daizen Maeda has featured through the middle at times during pre-season, Kyogo remains the main man up top and he will undoubtedly be a focal point of the attack during the 2023/24 campaign.

Oh Hyeon-gyu will be hoping to challenge for the starting striker position, but it is the former Vissel Kobe man's role to lose at the moment, and that is one of the many reasons he will be the highest scorer at the club once again.

Prediction: Kyogo Furuhashi

Most assists

O'Riley achieved this feat last season and it is difficult to bet against him doing it again. He played a significant chunk of last season as a number six due to an injury sustained by the captain Callum McGregor. This led to him occupying a more defensive role in the midfield, and as a result, he was unable to be as creative in the final third.

He still recorded 14 assists - the most in the league - and he will be up there again this season as Celtic's most creative player. He will be given more freedom to play further forward during this campaign in the number 10 role, allowing him to unleash his attacking potential. The Dane is also another who falls into the bracket of being a player Rodgers can improve.

Prediction: Matt O'Riley

Signing of the season

While the transfer window is still open, this is a more difficult question to answer. So far, the club have brought in Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Kwon Hyeok-kyu, Yang Hyun-jun and Maik Nawrocki. 

It is likely more players will arrive before the window closes, but from the individuals who have already joined, there is one standout, and that is Holm. Making his debut against Gamba Osaka, the highly-rated Norweigian has equipped himself well. The 45 minutes he played in the recent friendly victory over Athletic Club demonstrated he can thrive in a new environment against quality opposition. His passing and movement off the ball showcased great game intelligence for someone who is only 20 years old. It is a small sample size, of course, but so far, the signs are promising that he can challenge for a position in the midfield.

Prediction: Odin Thiago Holm

Most improved player

There are plenty of players who could be chosen for this prediction. Sead Haksabanovic, Abada and Maeda come to mind. However, an outside choice could be David Turnbull. The midfielder only has one year left on his deal, an issue that needs a resolution soon, but he appears to be part of Rodgers' plans. Last season saw game-time hard to come by for the Scotland international as he mostly featured off the bench under Posteecoglou. 

He has played in each of the matches during pre-season and was another who put on a positive showing during the victory over Athletic Club. He scored the winner as he captained the team for the majority of the second 45 minutes. Like with Holm, this is, of course, a small sample size and it will take time to see if Turnbull is able to capture his form of a few years ago, but the signs appear positive.

Prediction: David Turnbull

What still needs to be done in the transfer market?

The Celtic squad still needs some additions to make sure it is ready for the Champions League. There are three positions in particular that need to be filled to try and help the club compete at Europe's top table. Those are a goalkeeper, a left-back and a winger.

Joe Hart has been a great servant to the club, but his deficiencies were clear to see last season. He struggles with the ball at his feet, which is a vital part of Celtic's play, and at times his shot-stopping was also questionable in the latter half of the previous campaign. A replacement would help take Celtic to the next level.

The topic of left-back could prove to be a controversial one when it comes to discussing reinforcements. Greg Taylor was phenomenal last season and was a strong contender for Player of the Year. He adapted well to Postecoglou's inverted full-back role and showcased his passing range. However, things are different under Rodgers, as he will be expected to be more of an overlapping defender. This is not to say  Taylor should move on, far from it, just that for the Champions League, a player may be required who suits Rodgers' system better.

Fans will also be keen to see a winger brought in to replace Jota, who joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad for £25 million earlier in the summer. This fee, despite Benfica taking a percentage, still leaves Celtic with plenty of income to replace the forward. 

Names such as former Shakhtar Donetsk star Tete have been branded about. Supporters will be hoping for a marquee player to replace the Jota-shaped void at the club, and this will be one of the biggest tasks for the recruitment team.

Prediction: Goalkeeper, left-back and winger

READ MORE: Ryan McGinlay's Celtic 2023/24 season predictions

How Will Celtic Do In Europe?

Europe is the benchmark where Rodgers will be judged during his second spell. A lot of how Celtic do will be down to the group stage draw. If it is a 'group of death' scenario, then it could be difficult for the Hoops to progress to the knockout stages of the Champions League. This would mean they would be battling for third place. That should be the minimum the club are looking to achieve in term of European progression. Dropping into the Europa League would allow for the opportunity to try and win a knockout tie for the first time since 2004. This is another minimum requirement for the 2023/24 season, should the opportunity present itself.

Prediction: Minimum third place in the Champions League group and a Europa League run

What will Celtic win?

Celtic should be aiming to win a treble again. The league is, of course, the ultimate aim as it allows for automatic Champions League qualification, but given the club's budget, they should be trying to compete on all three domestic fronts as well as in Europe. Brendan Rodgers did not lose a trophy in his first spell in charge and he will be hoping to repeat that feat the second time round.

Prediction: Treble