Brendan Rodgers has plenty on his mind at the moment.
The Celtic manager may only have one game of the season left, but that’s a hugely important Scottish Cup final against Aberdeen with a domestic Treble on the line.
Rodgers wants his players to fully focus on that before they can think about relaxing ahead of meeting up again for pre-season.
That includes Greg Taylor, even though his future at Parkhead is in serious doubt. Rodgers wants Taylor to stay, but as time passes by, it seems more likely the left-back will move on.
Rodgers reveals ‘long conversation’ with Celtic’s Greg Taylor
Once again, Rodgers was pressed on Taylor’s contract situation ahead of what could be the 27-year-old’s last ever game for the Hoops.
The Celtic boss was speaking to the press ahead of Saturday’s final and revealed that he spoke to Taylor in depth on Wednesday about his future.
He says that a decision will be made after the Scottish Cup final as he stressed Taylor has a big decision to make over where his last significant contract will be – Celtic or elsewhere?
Rodgers said: “I had a long conversation with Greg yesterday, the door is not closed.
“He and I are just focusing on the performance level of the team and I think once the season is over on Saturday, then he’ll have a lot more thinking time with more space to do that.
“I wouldn’t shut the door totally on it. A number of weeks back, I gave my feeling on what may happen, just having experienced so many of these situations and what it can look like.
“I would definitely say it’s not 100 per cent his last game. I put on record a number of times my keenness to keep him here, believing it can work with him and Kieran being here with the number of games that we have and the different types of games we need to play.
“And also because of Kieran and his situation coming back and especially in this early part of the season where there’s a lot of games.
“So it can definitely work but there has to be an agreement between himself and his representatives and the club. If that’s not reached, then he won’t be here. He’ll move on. But it’s certainly not closed as of yet.
“It’s not all on Greg, either. There needs to be that solution between the two. He recognises this is a big contract for him and a big contract in terms of this will carry him for the next four or five years and at 27, that’s one of your last big contracts as a player so everything has to be right on that.
“He’s become a father recently as well, so there’s lots of things that he has to take care of on that side. I’ve always tried to respect that space that he’s needed for that. It’s not all financial.
“That’s where it’s at. I’ve made it clear all the way along that I’m very keen for him to stay. He’s loved his time here, he’s enjoyed playing and he’s a real part of what we’re doing here.
“So hopefully, it can find its way to him being here. But if not? Then we’ve lost a fantastic young player.”
Who else is out of contract for Celtic?
Taylor is actually the only senior Celtic player who will see his contract expire this summer.
Of course, Jeffrey Schlupp’s loan deal will end and he will return to his parent club Crystal Palace. There’s little chance of him staying on with Tierney on the way.
Elsewhere, Joey Dawson and Daniel Cummings are set to leave the Hoops as it stands. Dawson was signed by Ange Postecoglou from Scunthorpe United.
He has failed to break into the first-team and will very likely leave the club. Cummings, on the other hand, seems destined to sign for West Ham United after a failed move in February.
Cummings has scored goals for fun with Celtic B and made his first-team debut against Aston Villa in the Champions League this season.
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