'Tis the season and all that and for most of us, Christmas gifts will probably involve disappointing books and socks to be lost by the time it's New Year.That's just me? Oh...Anyway, in Brendan Rodgers' case, his Celtic Christmas list is likely to involve presents of a much more expensive variety. His team are flying high in the Scottish Premiership and they've just picked up the Scottish League Cup, but there's no doubt he'll still be looking to improve the squad.The January transfer window is more important for Celtic than most clubs, given that the team plays its most important games of the season in the summer, to qualify for the Champions League.They need time to settle in and bringing a player to Glasgow in January gives them the chance to be ready and able come July.With all that in mind, here are FIVE players that should be on his list ahead of the window opening...

Darlington Nagbe

Darlington Nagbe has been one of the most effective midfielders in America over the last few years of Major League Soccer football. This was highlighted when he featured for the MLS All-Stars when they faced Arsenal a summer encounter earlier this year.

With over 200 appearances in US football and ten caps for the national team, he's well placed to push on to new heights in his career and at 26 years old, has plenty of years ahead to offer Celtic.

He also turned up to take in Celtic vs. Barcelona and left impressed:

Will that experience be enough to tempt him to Scottish football?

James McCarthy

Despite staying at Everton in the summer, James McCarthy has been unable to force himself into a regular role at Goodison Park under Ronald Koeman.

A boyhood Celtic fan, a move to the Hoops in January would surely appeal to him, while Celtic don't have great depth in the middle of the park. Scott Brown is in excellent form but Stuart Armstrong can be inconsistent, Nir Bitton isn't having a great season and Callum McGregor finds the step up to Europe quite difficult.

McCarthy is a player with a lot of experience playing at a high level and would make an instant impact on the Celtic starting XI. If you think they're good now, just think how they'd play with a midfield firing on all cylinders.

Dale Stephens

While McCarthy is probably the dream midfield option for Rodgers, Dale Stephens of Brighton & Hove Albion is potentially a more realistic option in the heart of midfield.

Stephens would operate in a similar position, right beside Scott Brown in a deep midfield role. It's a role he's excelled in at Brighton where he's become a hugely important player. He was part of the team that came so close to promotion to the Premier League and is helping his side this year again with a promotion bid - the Seagulls currently in 4th in the Championship.

Having worked his way up the football league ladder from the Conference North, he has a hunger and an ambition to succeed that would fit in perfectly with Rodgers' Celtic side.

Cyle Larin

Orlando City forward Cyle Larin has taken MLS by storm since making his debut in the league in 2015 - scoring 32 goals in 61 appearances for the Eastern Conference side, 17 of those came in 2015, his 'rookie' season.

That form was enough for him to win the 2015 Rookie Of The Season award, making him the best young prospect in the American leagues.

With five goals in 19 appearances for Canada, he's doing it on the international scene too.

Celtic aren't lacking for goals in the team but beyond Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths have no-one they can rely on to score consistently. Bringing him in would only boost their chances of the Champions League once again in 2017.

Jordan Mutch

Like James McCarthy, Jordan Mutch is a midfielder struggling to get a regular game in the English Premier League.

He's only made one league appearance for Palace this season, despite starring 25 times for Alan Pardew's side in the last campaign. Just 24 but with close to 200 senior professional appearances, he's another who could make an instant impact on the Celtic team.

We've already seen the likes of Scott Sinclair find some of the best form of their lives under Brendan Rodgers and Mutch may see a move to Celtic as a chance to rejuvenate his career.

It's unlikely that with his combative midfield nature he's happy warming the bench at Selhurst Park.