Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Celtic may have to look at offers to sell Dedryck Boyata.
The defender is out of contract at the end of the season and put himself in the shop window with three appearances for Belgium at the World Cup Finals.
Boyata won’t rejoin Celtic until next month but it could be a brief return with the English transfer window closing on August 9.
That early deadline could present a major problem with Celtic having to decide between accepting an offer for the defender or holding onto him for European qualifiers knowing that his value will drop or hoping that a continental team will make a bid.
Discussing the options Rodgers told The Sun: “I’m not sure there’s an offer that would make us even think about it because of the stage of the season we’re at.
“We’re playing very important games and we need our best players available.”
Rodgers added: “Dedryck has got a year left on his contract. He’s done well in the last 18 months for us and did well at the World Cup, so naturally there’s going to be interest in him.
“We don’t want to lose him, he’s a very valuable player for us but at some point if he doesn’t sign his contract then of course he’ll go into his last year. Then naturally what happens is he either goes on to another club or stays.
“At this moment Boyata is very important for us to help us achieve our early season goals.”
Ronny Deila signed Boyata from Manchester City for £1.5m in June 2015 but with Virgil van Dijk leaving soon afterwards he struggled in his first season.
Initially Rodgers went with a defensive partnership of Erik Sviatchenko and Jozo Simunovic but brought Boyata back into the side in January 2017 after the winter break in Dubai.
Last season despite two lengthy injury absences Boyata made 38 first team appearances including five in the group phase of the Champions League.
