Boyata opts to battle on at Parkhead

DEDRYCK BOYATA has revealed he rejected interest from Hull City, Werder Bremen and Anderlecht during the January transfer window after opting to stay in Glasgow to fight for his place at Celtic.

The Belgian defender has fought his way back into Brendan Rodgers’ plans and netted two winning goals last month, against St Johnstone and Aberdeen.

He was linked with a January move out of Parkhead with hometown club Anderlecht interested and as recently as last month it seemed he would be deemed as little more than a fringe player under Brendan Rodgers.

However, he has since re-emerged in the first team after a rigorous training regime and is desperate to play a part in what has the potential to be a special season for the Parkhead side.

“Given that I wasn’t playing at Celtic, I told my agent to look at what was possible,” revealed Boyata. “But I also asked him not to give me unnecessary headaches and only talk to me about concrete offers.

“It is true, he mentioned the interest of Anderlecht, Werder Bremen and Hull, but it was never serious enough to alert Celtic. Especially since I am now back in the team.

“I have two-and-a-half years left of my contract here. I have played nearly 50 games with Celtic. I don’t have any definite plans for the future, but I am secure at Celtic.

“It would have been nice to go back home to Belgium, but their interest was never serious enough. I still have my dreams in football. The one that currently occupies me is Celtic. Possibly, one day I may be able to prove myself in the Premier League.

“Today, I have never felt so comfortable as I do at Celtic.”

Boyata is targeting a return to the Belgian national side, after cruelly missing out on Euro 2016 through a late injury. He added: “Someone from the Belgian FA watched me against Kilmarnock in November.

“I think about playing for Belgium, but I refuse to put any more pressure on myself. Missing out on the Euros was very hard for me. I would love to be back in the squad, but Belgium have a lot of good players.”