Brendan Rodgers is keen to get Dedryck Boyata signed up onto a new long term Celtic contract.
The defender’s current deal runs until June 2019 but in real terms the hoops will want to get a deal completed before the end of this season.
Earlier this week Kieran Tierney signed a six year deal following the examples set by Scott Brown, Callum McGregor and Jozo Simunovic earlier this season.
Speaking to The Sun Rodgers revealed: “Dedryck would go into his final year next summer, but I’d love him to stay. His representatives have spoken to Peter Lawwell and I’ve also spoken to Dedryck.
“He understands what I think, but you always have to respect the player. We will chat again. Since Dedryck came into the side last season, he’s been brilliant for me.
“He is a player I rate highly and like all of the boys, he is seeing a really exciting period at Celtic. They want to be in this cycle and lots of them have signed up to be part of it.
“There is nothing yet on Dedryck’s contract, but I’d like him to extend it, very much so.”
Celtic signed Boyata in the summer of 2015 from Manchester City for a £1.5m fee to replace Jason Denayer who had been on loan during Ronny Deila’s first season in charge.
Like almost every player the 2015/16 season was one to forget for the defender who ended the season injured.
In the first half of last season he only made one first team appearance but became a regular following the January break in Dubai.
With Simunovic and Erik Sviatchenko both out injured Boyata has been the only fit central defender available to Rodgers over the last month.