Brendan Rodgers wants Greg Taylor to sign a new contract at Celtic – but the manager understands that will cause him an issue.
Of course, that issue involves the return of Kieran Tierney in the summer. The former Hoops left-back has signed a pre-contract arrangement to move from Arsenal.
It was hoped by Celtic fans that Tierney could move in the January transfer window, but Gunners boss Mikel Arteta refused to sanction such an exit.
Jeffrey Schlupp was recruited instead on deadline day as a replacement for Alex Valle after his loan from Barcelona was terminated to allow him to move to Como.
Regardless, Tierney will link up with Rodgers in the summer. So what does that mean for the future of current first choice left-back Taylor at Parkhead?
- READ MORE: Celtic make three changes to Champions League squad ahead of Bayern Munich knockout play-off
Rodgers wants Tierney & Greg Taylor at Celtic next season
Well, Rodgers told the press ahead of Celtic’s Scottish Cup tie with Raith Rovers on Saturday that he still sees Taylor a part of his plans beyond the summer.
The Northern Irishman wants both Tierney and Taylor to compete for the left-back slot and guarantees regular game time for both players due to the volume of matches Celtic play per season.
However, at this moment in time, he sees the whole situation as an ‘issue’. Rodgers said: “I’ve had a number of open conversations with Greg on it and I do think that is an issue. There’s no doubt about that. He’s been a starter here for virtually six years.
“He’s always had a challenge that he’s overcome from other players coming in, which is a great testament to him and his mentality and his professionalism.
“He knows Kieran well and he knows his qualities and his abilities but there still can be room for two of them here – there’s absolutely no doubt.
“You’re playing upward of 55 to 60 games a season, we can’t play one player and I wouldn’t want to play one player in all of those because you’re just not going to have the right physicality, you’re going to need an intensity.
“So to have two players of that quality here would be brilliant for the club, for the team and obviously for the changing room. So that’s probably the things that Greg has to think about.
“From my perspective, I don’t see it as a problem because I know he’ll play a lot of games, he’ll play big games and like I said, as with Kieran.
“So, he has to decide for himself that it would be a different role for him but it’s not something that we still can’t conclude.”
Taylor has been strongly linked with Dinamo Zagreb
It wasn’t out of the realms of possibility that Taylor could have left Celtic in January to sign for Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb.
MLS clubs were also said to be interested in Taylor’s services, but the Hoops have managed to hold onto the player until the summer.
Croatain outlet Sportnet then dropped a bombshell report on Thursday night claiming Taylor has indeed signed a pre-contract arrangement with Dinamo.
However, the Daily Record say the former Kilmarnock star’s representatives have denied such an agreement.
Rodgers confirmed Taylor was attracting interest last month but nothing ever came to fruition.
Asked if there is truth in the Dinamo Zagreb pre-contract, Rodgers told reporters: “No, not that I’m aware of. I know there was interest there back in January, but it was nothing that was ever concrete or spoken about too much.
“My feelings will be to hope to convince Greg to be here. Of course, as time goes on then that becomes much less (realistic) but it doesn’t change his professionalism.
“He’s a brilliant professional and we’ll just need to see how the next four months go.”
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
