BRENDAN Rodgers last night advised Jozo Simunovic to remain at Celtic “for the next couple of years” after the Croatian centre half was linked with two English clubs.
Both Crystal Palace and Newcastle United are reported to be interested in signing the 22-year-old, whose proposed move to Italian club Torino fell through in the summer.
The defender only returned to action after eight months out with a serious knee injury – he underwent an operation on ligament damage in March – against Inverness Caledonian Thistle last month.
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However, the former Dinamo Zagreb player has performed well for Rodgers’s team and helped them keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 win against Rangers in the Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden on Sunday.
Rodgers, the former Swansea City and Liverpool manager whose side take on Ross County in a Ladbrokes Premiership match in Dingwall this evening, admitted clubs down south can offer far higher wages than Celtic.
However, the Irishman believes that Simunovic, who only signed for the Scottish champions in September last year, should remain in Glasgow and establish himself as a first choice regular.
Read more: Gordon refusing to get complacent despite growing into "sweeper keeper" role at Celtic
“I see his future very much here,” he said. “He has been out injured and probably hasn’t had that consistent run as a Celtic player.
“I have been involved at both ends of the Premier League so I know the finances involved. It’s very hard if a player is offered 80, 90 or 100 grand a week to say no to that.
“But, being a young player, Jozo has time. He just needs to get back fit and becoming available for every game.
“Once he does that and shows consistently how he has been in the last number of weeks – if he can have a run like that over the next couple of years – then of course he is going to be a sought after player.
“Because centre-halves and strikers, in particular, are very much in demand. If you have a top one then even more so.”
Rodgers added: “I’m not aware of that (clubs monitoring Simunovic), but there is always speculation around players, isn’t there? But Jozo is a big player.
“I think I said at the time that I was delighted he never went. I hadn’t seen a lot of him. That was the thing.
“There was obviously the chance for him to go without being fit, really. Thankfully, it fell through and he stayed.
“As soon as you saw him back in training, you thought: ‘Once this boy is fit, we have a proper player here’.
"I think you saw the ease with which he went through the game on Sunday. He has got everything really. He is good in the air, quick and serves the ball well.”
Rodgers brought in Simunovic for Kolo Toure, who had played in the Champions League game against Borussia Moenchengladbach on Wednesday night, against Rangers and was pleased with how he performed alongside Erik Sviatchenko.
He is confident his defence is operating at a high level as they prepare for a difficult run of three away matches against County, Aberdeen and Moenchengladbach in the next six days.
“The back five has a bit of stability now,” he said. “You can include Craig Gordon in that if you see how calm he was in the game. Anything he had to do was outstanding, but he played with a real calmness and that’s where it starts.
Read more: Gordon refusing to get complacent despite growing into "sweeper keeper" role at Celtic
“The two centre halves were outstanding. Jozo, I’m having to manage him back in because he’s been out for so long. You just have to be careful with a young player when he’s had that injury.
“You can’t just throw him into three games in a week, hence the reason I brought Kolo (Toure) with his experience. He can’t play three games in a row and that’s the honesty of that.
“But Erik alongside has been the pillar, he’s been really consistent, looks composed and calm on the ball - but he defends on the front foot, he’s pushing things forward and is becoming a real leader in there.
“Then you throw in the two boys on the sides. Defensively young Kieran (Tierney) again was brilliant yesterday, he’s playing a lot of games but getting great experience and (Mikael) Lustig marshalled young Barrie McKay very well again. So there’s minimal change in that area now and that’s what’s bringing the clean sheets.”
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