STU WANTS TO STAY
Brendan Rodgers insists Stuart Armstrong wants to stay – and has urged the Celtic board to tie him down on a new deal. The Scotland midfielder is out
of contract at the end of this season and talks between both parties have stalled.
Armstrong is attracting interest from English clubs Brighton, West Brom and Southampton – but Rodgers is adamant he’s keen to sign on again at Parkhead.
And he’s eager for the club and the player’s reps to thrash out a deal.
Rodgers said: “For the boy himself, I want it resolved.
“He’s a very conscientious boy, not one of these who can just play and not worry.
“I genuinely think he wants to be at Celtic. He just wants it resolved. In fact he probably wanted it resolved six or seven months ago.
“So it’s important to get it resolved because I love working with him.
“But it’s starting to take its toll on him. Hopefully it can get sorted and he can settle down and find the form he was in for seven months of last season.”
Former Celtic favourite Simon Donnelly has urged Armstrong to weigh up his happiness at Celtic with the riches of England’s top flight.
Donnelly worked with the 25- year- old at Dundee United before selling him to Celtic in 2015.
And he knows what it’s like to make a wrong move out of Parkhead after his 1999 switch to Sheff ield Wednesday turned sour.
He said: “If he goes down to England, depending on the club, it might not suit him. It has to be right.”
Meanwhi le, Rodgers doesn’t expect a transfer window bid for Scotland defender Kieran Tierney.
He said: “I’m not worried about a bid for Kieran but I wouldn’t be surprised.
“He loves being here and he’s a sensible boy. He’s in a good place, a happy place.
“If something came in we would manage it. But I don’t sense it and it helps that he’s Celtic daft.
“Listen, there may come that time – there is always that danger. But we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”