Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has issued a warning to midfielder Stuart Armstrong about a potential contract stand-off this summer.
The 25-year-old was locked in a contract dispute with the club for six months last year that saw his form drop before eventually signing a one-year extension in August.
That one-year extension means Armstrong’s current deal runs until 2019, and Rodgers has now warned that the Hoops will not be prepared to go through the same situation this season.
As quoted by the Daily Record, Rodgers said: “Players have short careers. Of course I’d love them to stay but there are numerous reasons – on both sides as there could be issues with the club too – that don’t allow them to sign. My job is to try to keep them and if they decide their future lies somewhere else, that’s fine. I have talked to Stuart briefly on it – I just want to help him become the best player he can be. He knows the opportunity he has here and I know he respects that.
“Players are within their rights, if they feel the deal or the offer is not right or just purely if they don’t want to sign. But it’s two ways. If it’s not right for both parties then it’s not going to happen. Some are happy to see out their career at Celtic, playing for trophies. They will play 500 or 600 games – Callum McGregor, someone like that.
“You’ll get players who will see this as a two or three-year project, an opportunity to play for a huge club, be a winner then move on. Then you have others who think they want to stay and then they get a big offer and go. The club then tries to get maximum value. You like to think you will always have a core there but you want freshness too.”
Central midfielder Armstrong joined the Hoops from Dundee United in 2015, and has gone on to make 137 appearances for the club since then, scoring 27 goals and providing 24 assists.
OPINION
It is clear from Rodgers’ comments that Celtic will not be lured into another stand-off with Armstrong. There is no doubt that the 25-year-old is a brilliant player, and has played some of his best football at Parkhead, but he is certainly not irreplaceable. Last year’s situation quite obviously affected his form, and Rodgers is obviously not prepared to go through that again. It is likely that the club will therefore allow Armstrong to enter the final year of his deal before attempting to negotiate a new deal towards the end of the summer or at some point next season.