Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Lewis Morgan could be set for a surprise stay at Parkhead this month despite talks taking place over his loan exit from the club.
The 22-year-old left winger has been on the fringes of the first team this season, making 13 appearances across all competitions, and has been tipped to make a move away from Glasgow.
Speaking about the prospect of Morgan leaving, Rodgers admitted that he was very much in demand but that he could stay at Parkhead until the end of the season which would be a huge surprise considering talks are taking place over a departure.
He told the Daily Mail (22/01, 12:24): “We’ve spoken about the idea of going on loan but he has a number of possibilities.
“I haven’t heard anything from Hibs. There is quite a bit of interest around him. We’ll see where he ends up. He might even end up staying put.”
Opinion
Morgan has found game time hard to come by this season and so a loan exit makes perfect sense for both club and player. As such, it should come as a surprise, and something of a concern for the winger, that Rodgers is even considering the prospect of keeping him at Parkhead for the rest of the season. He has plenty of potential but needs to be playing regular football if he is to develop to the standard that can be expected of him. That is simply not going to be the case at Celtic, with the likes of James Forrest and Callum McGregor having a firm hold on the starting XI roles right now. Add in the arrival of Timothy Weah and Morgan’s chances of any meaningful game time have already been slashed. He is obviously much wanted by a number of sides and it should be that the Bhoys find the best club for him to play regularly and grow at. Keeping him at Parkhead is only going to stunt his progress as a young talent and that is not fair on the player.