Griffiths targets 200 club... and a new contract

LEIGH Griffiths hopes to sign a new “nice long contract” with Celtic to allow him the chance to reach the 200-goal mark for the Hoops.

The 28-year-old Scotland striker, who signed from Wolverhampton in 2014, reached his century of goals in the 3-0 home Europa League play-off win over Suduva last week and is keen to extend his stay at Parkhead and double that figure.

When asked about a new deal with the Scottish champions, Griffiths, on duty with Alex McLeish’s squad for the double-header against Belgium and Albania, said: “It is still ongoing. These things are never easy.

“It is almost completed now and hopefully in the next couple of weeks it will be done. Hopefully is a nice long contract.

“Why would you want to leave a club like Celtic? You are playing week-in, week-out, in it front of 60,000 fans, winning trophies.

“I am in an elite number players who have scored 100 goals and I want to extend that, I want to try to get to 200 now. If the contract gets over the line that will be my next target.”

Griffiths believes he will come up against the best defender in Scottish football – should Celtic team-mate Dedryck Boyata feature for the Red Devils at Hampden.

Boyata has returned to Brendan Rodgers’ side following his absence after a bid by Fulham was rejected by the Parkhead club.

Griffiths said: “There’s not many players up to the level of Dedryck’s standards in Scotland.

“Internationally that’s a different level. But if he does play on Friday night it will be a good battle.”