Rodgers insists no players will leave Celtic

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BRENDAN RODGERS, the Celtic manager, has made clear no first-team player would be leaving the club on deadline day despite Chelsea’s interest in Craig Gordon and Moussa Dembele and speculation linking Erik Svitachenko with Leicester City.

Rodgers revealed that he expects only Nadir Ciftci to move on, with Efe Ambrose, Kris Commons and Nir Bitton all likely to stay at the club barring any unexpected late developments. The Northern Irishman also does not foresee adding to his squad before the window closes at midnight.

Rodgers expressed his surprise at news of an improved offer for Gordon but categorically refuted any notion that his goalkeeper could leave, “guaranteeing” Gordon would be in the Celtic team to face Aberdeen tomorrow night. “If there’s another bid you know more than me,” he said. “For me it’s always been clear. Craig will be here, he will be in goal on Wednesday night and we want to get him signed up on a new deal, simple as that.”

Sviatchenko, meanwhile, has emerged as a target for Leicester and a number of other English clubs.

“There are two parts to it. You can only speak to someone if another club meets a valuation of what a player is maybe worth. You don’t willy-nilly let a player go and talk to them. It doesn’t work like that. But the stance is the same. We don’t want to lose him.

“I’ve been brought in to lead the club, look after the football side, and help manage the club. So my job is to protect the club and to build the best team I possibly can and that means keeping Craig Gordon. Craig will be in goal on Wednesday night, I guarantee you.”

Rodgers does not expect much in the way of late transfer activity, with Chelsea having been told that only a bid of £40m-plus would be considered for Dembele ( b elow ) . “We’re in tot al control. There’s no dr ama . I don’t think we’ll get in what we want to get in. But we’ve got a great squad of players here.”