Brendan Rodgers says Celtic are prepared to move swiftly in the transfer market should any blockbuster bids come in for any of their star players.
With just over two weeks of the January window remaining, Rodgers has brushed off speculation around the future of talismanic striker Kyogo Furuhashi.
The subject of interest from the MLS in America and Bundesliga clubs in Germany, Kyogo remains under contract at Parkhead until the summer of 2027.
Only last week, the MLS were forced to apologise after they wrongly announced that a deal had been agreed for the Japanese striker to join Atlanta United.
Nicolas Kuhn is another of Celtic’s star men to have been linked with clubs in England over recent weeks, whilst Cameron Carter-Vickers is reportedly being tracked by German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
Rodgers insists the club must be prepared for all eventualities — and vowed they would move swiftly to sign a replacement should any of their big names depart.
Kyogo Furushashi has admirers Stateside and Celtic could find a big bid hard to turn down
Brendan Rodgers says Celtic have plans in place should any of their players or staff move on
Carter-Vickers says he isn’t reading too much into rumours of interest from Bayer Leverkusen
‘With all these what-if scenarios, you have to be [prepared],’ said the Celtic boss, whose side travel to face Dundee tonight as they look to extend their 15-point lead at the top of the Premiership.
‘I think the biggest thing is if a player doesn’t want to be here, then go. And then if it’s at that point, the club has to get the best possible deal.
‘So I don’t ever see the point of keeping someone who doesn’t want to be here. For us, it’s all eventualities. That’s what we prepare for, whether it’s injuries, whether it’s transfers.
‘I think you just have to, you always have to be ready and that’s our message.
‘For Kyogo at this moment in time, he’s happy. He’s working well, he’s scoring goals and enjoying his football.’
Despite scoring twice in the 4-1 win at Ross County last weekend, it was notable that Kyogo’s celebrations seemed somewhat muted.
Normally such a lively figure with how he celebrates with fans, both after scoring and at full-time, the Japanese striker, who turns 30 next week, kept a lid on things.
Rodgers has no concerns over the player’s mindset, adding: ‘I see him on a daily basis. People always look into something, you know, he didn’t celebrate enough or he didn’t do this or he didn’t do that.
Some pundits have been accused of reading too much into Kyogo’s muted goal celebrations
St Patrick’s Athletic striker Mason Melia has caught the attention of a number of top clubs
‘I see him every day, I see his work. I see his intensity and maybe he scores so much that he doesn’t really have to celebrate madly all the time. Or maybe it was too cold!
‘But he’s just the same guy. It’s speculation and we’re not scared of the speculation and the gossip.
‘There will always be wee bits and pieces around him. But no, he’s fine and he’ll travel to Dundee.’
Meanwhile, Carter-Vickers insists he’s fully focused despite being linked with a to German champions Leverkusen earlier in the window.
He said: ‘I feel very settled here. To be fair, when I see stuff like that, I don’t really take much note of it.
‘You never know how much truth there is to it unless obviously, you’re told directly, which I wasn’t. I just kind of focus on what I’ve got going on here.
‘It’s definitely nice when you see stuff like that because it does show you that people are noticing what you’re doing and that’s good.
‘It’s just like anything in life, while you’re doing something, you want to do to the best of your ability.
Aston Villa’s Louie Barry is wanted by Rodgers after impressing on loan at Stockport County
‘So whether there is interest or not at this current time, and for any of the players, we’re at Celtic and we want to do well for the team.’
Elsewhere, Celtic are pressing ahead with plans to try and sign highly-rated Irish teenager Mason Melia from St Patrick’s Athletic.
The 17-year-old striker is being tracked by a host of clubs across Europe, but it’s believed that Celtic and Tottenham are the two frontrunners to secure his signature.
Already capped at Under-19s level by Ireland, Melia was invited to Glasgow last week and was given a tour of the stadium as well as the training facilities at Lennoxtown.
Celtic are also keen to land Aston Villa’s Louie Barry after the winger was recalled from a productive loan spell at Stockport County by his parent club. The 21-year-old, who can play on the left flank or through the middle, scored 16 times in 24 appearances in the first half of the season for the English League One side.
Villa manager Unai Emery, who’s agreed a deal to sign Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund for £21m, intends running the rule over Barry this month.
Rodgers is keen on a loan deal but that may prove difficult as Villa are already close to their full quota of foreign loans under Premier League rules.
Middlesbrough and Leeds are also in the running for a player who has represented both England and the Republic of Ireland at youth international level.
Luis Palma’s proposed move to Rayo Vallecano has been scuppered after the Spanish outfit were hit with a transfer ban.
Out of favour at Celtic, Honduran winger Palma looked set to join the La Liga club. But the deal has now fallen through due to FIFA sanctions imposed on Rayo.
