Kirk Broadfoot believes Celtic are favourites to win the Clydesdale Bank Premier League title this season. The Scottish champions were able to purchase new players this summer for the first time since August 2008 and boosted their squad with the arrivals of Nikica Jelavic and James Beattie, as well as Vladimir Weiss and Richard Foster on loan.
But Celtic proved to be far busier in the transfer market, with the acquisition of 11 new players for Neil Lennon's first full season at the helm.
Exits from both the Champions League and Europa League also mean Celtic will be able to focus fully on their domestic commitments this term, while Rangers face gruelling Champions League matches.
Broadfoot said: "There have only been five games played so far and there will be hard games away from home for us to come starting this weekend.
"Obviously the other teams are a bit behind just now, but there's a long way to go and maybe a team will go on a run like Hibs did last year.
"I think Celtic are favourites with the players they've brought in and the fact they play week to week, whereas we have hard games away in the Champions League and it's hard to lift your game, sometimes you come back and you're a wee bit flat.
"But we just have to raise our game and take every game as it comes. I'd say Celtic are favourites, yes."
