Former Celtic striker and BT Sport pundit Chris Sutton has called on the club to ‘try everything’ to tie midfielder Tom Rogic down to a new deal.
The 25-year-old Australia international is entering the last year of his current deal with the Hoops and the club are locked in negotiations with the player and his representatives over a new contract.
Former Parkhead striker Sutton has now weighed in on the situation, outlining Rogic’s importance to the club and demanding that they pull out all the stops to secure a new deal for the playmaker, who he compares to Arsenal star Mesut Ozil.
In a column for the Daily Record, he said: “Brendan Rodgers calls Tom Rogic the Magic Man. It would be spellbinding if Celtic were able to pull an offer out of the hat which the Aussie can’t turn down. It’s not smoke and mirrors with Rogic. He’s the real deal. Just look at the impact he has on the really big games. Key games. His tricks and contribution have often stolen the show and Celtic must try everything to stop him suddenly disappearing.
“Rogic has his detractors for various things. One is his fitness, with many who can’t understand why he struggles to get through entire 90 minutes of games. Given his age, it’s a mystery, but stamina can be improved. You can’t teach his touch. That’s a gift you are born with. Rogic’s languid style can make him look uninterested when things aren’t going his way, but that’s unfair. It’s just his gait. In many ways, he reminds me of Mesut Ozil at Arsenal.
“No-one is naive enough to think it comes down to just Celtic. If Rogic or any other player at any club doesn’t ?want to stay or wants to try something else, there’s not much chairmen or managers can do these days. The power has shifted. But Celtic must ensure they give everything to keep him because tying the playmaker to a new deal would be just Magic.”
Rogic has spent much of this season on the sidelines with a knee injury, missing two months of action from December through February.
The Australian has scored five goals and provided eight assists so far this campaign, with those numbers coming in 32 appearances in all competitions.
OPINION
Sutton is absolutely right here. Rogic is one of Celtic’s key attacking players, whether fans like it or not. The 25-year-old gets a lot of criticism for his perceived laziness, but putting that aside, he is the glue that holds together their attack. His touch and passing ability is something rare, and ally that to his knack of scoring in big games and you have one important player. It is unclear at the moment what is happening in negotiations between the two parties, with Rogic reported to have rejected an initial offer last month from the club. It was thought that he would wait until after the World Cup to decide his future, which would mean a nervous wait for Celtic. A couple of big performances on that stage and he could well be off.