Chris Sutton

CELTIC LEGEND WRITES EXCLUSIVELY FOR YOU

But what does it do for Celtic in the Champions League qualifiers? As far as I can see it gives them another problem in a couple of ways. Celtic did magnificent business to get Rogic tied down on to a new contract before he disappeared to join his country’s camp ahead of the finals. I was adamant getting the Aussie nailed on to a long-term contract would be the best piece of work the club could do this summer and at this stage I’m standing by that statement. Seeing Rogic go to a World Cup with just a year to go on his deal and a new extension still not signed would not have been ideal and the offers would have flooded in from elsewhere if he shone.

Knowing the way the World Cup works they might get offers anyway regardless of the fact he’s signed that deal but Celtic are protected for a huge fee now and the player also seems happy to stay put.

Lustig won’t be going anywhere and Gamboa is unlikely to be staying so their participation and situations are not so crucial.

Boyata though is now going into the shop window.

I’m fully aware even if Vincent Kompany does not make the finals due to injury the likes of Jan Vertonghen, Thomas Vermaelen and Toby Alderweireld are likely to keep Boyata on the bench for the majority of the tournament.

But if anything happens to them, Boyata might find himself starting – against England in the group match at the end of this month.

Imagine he shackles Harry Kane and keeps a clean sheet as the Belgians win the game?

With less than a year of his contract left to run at Parkhead, Boyata will surely have to be sold if he’s not going to commit and there would be English interest I’m sure if he was to star against Spurs hitman Kane.

Celtic just don’t let contracts run out. It’s not the way they do their business. They are too shrewd for that to happen.

So that makes the current Boyata scenario particularly intriguing. Now in one way that’s fair enough if he ups his value. He signs and stays, great.

Or if he has to be sold at least he’ll have bumped his transfer fee up.

But the biggest concern for Celtic has to be the qualifiers for the Champions League.

He and Lustig are almost certainly going to miss the first round of qualifiers because of the World Cup and the need for recovery time when they get back.

That’s not really an issue because Celtic should beat whoever they get but it will get dangerous from that point and, whether you are a fan of the Belgian or not, the fact is he’s a first-pick defender just now.

Injury is always a concern around him so that’s another worry although anyone can be struck down at any time.

Celtic might be in the process of buying someone at the moment but even if that is the case then you are bedding a defender into the set-up while going through these fraught qualifiers.

With the news coming this week about the additional riches attached to making the group stages, gamble is not a word which will, or certainly shouldn’t be, entering Brendan Rodgers’ thinking.

I was vociferous last year during the qualifiers about the backline and the fact they got away with it, just.

They needed a defender then when Boyata was injured and, even though Rodgers was unhappy about criticism, it was a ridiculous situation they were relying on Nir Bitton alongside a rookie like Kristoffer Ajer at centre-back to get through.

Ajer has more experience now but Celtic can’t afford for Boyata not to be there as Jozo Simunovic can’t be relied upon to be fit.

In any case, if as often happens, there’s a qualifier played on an artificial surface, chances are he wouldn’t play anyway. I know there are a few pieces of this jigsaw still to fall into place if this scenario is to unfold but it’s a possibility and no eventuality can afford to be ignored with such riches and prestige at stake for qualification. Boyata going to Russia is great for him but it might not turn out to be an ideal situation for Celtic.