BRENDAN Rodgers last night admitted that he would like to tie up Dedryck Boyata on a new long-term contract after Scott Brown, Callum McGregor and Jozo Simunovic all pledged their futures to Celtic.
McGregor, the 24-year-old midfielder, became the third player in four days to agree to an extension yesterday when he signed a deal which ties him to the Parkhead club until 2021.
Rodgers, who secured the signatures of club captain Brown and centre half Simunovic on Monday, is keen to retain the services of more key members of his squad and revealed that defender Boyata is one he would be targeting.
“The club has been working behind the scenes and that’s great,” he said. “Callum has been a brilliant young player for us and I’m really happy for him. He loves being at Celtic and he’s made a real contribution in the last 12 months.”
Asked who else he wanted to keep at Celtic, Rodgers said: “Dedryck has a year or so to go and there are one or two others. It’s nice that so many players see this as a place they can develop and be successful. It’s nice to have them all on board for the journey.”
Rodgers has been pleased with how McGregor has progressed since he arrived last summer and revealed that his versatility – he can play a variety of different positions across defence and in midfield – make him an invaluable member of the Celtic squad.
“He’s a player who can play in every position,” he said. “He’s a seven or eight out of ten in any position. You need players with an understanding of the game and he has that. I’ve seen his confidence grow.”
"He contributed in the big games. Wherever I ask him to play and how often I ask him to play he’s always there for us.
“He never misses training, available for every game. He can play wide inside or as a number 10 and does a great job.
“You need that type of player to play in various positions and it keeps the squad small. He can play left, right or centre and is really multi-functional. You need one or two of those players in every team.”
Rodgers added: “A lot of Celtic players are judged on Rangers games and for him to perform as well as he did could be seen as a defining moment for him.
“Young players coming through are judged more harshly and he was outstanding in that game. In the semi-final against Rangers he showed great composure to score and he was fantastic in that game.
“In the run-in he was excellent. It’s nice that a young player feels a part of it. When you come through the age groups it can be harder, but he’s been an outstanding player.”
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