BRENDAN RODGERS has told Aberdeen to forget about signing Ryan Christie full time as the Irishman has plans for the midfielder this summer.
Ryan, who will have spent 18-months out on loan to The Dons by the end of this season has been a pivotal player for the Pittodrie side and they would like to keep him there.
However, The Dons hopes were scuppered when Rodgers spoke glowingly of the player and believes he’s coming back to Celtic a much better player.
“The plan was always for Ryan to come back,” Rodgers told the Scotsman
“I looked at it last summer after he’d spent six months on loan to Aberdeen, working with Derek at a fantastic club, under pressure, and asked: ‘Is it better him to play 40-plus games for them or maybe play between five and ten for me?’
“We had a call-back (clause) in January if we’d wanted him but I always felt a year playing out, working on his game and his physical strength, on preparing week-in and week-out for games would benefit him and benefit Celtic. I believe that he’s made the most of his opportunity with them.”
Christie will have to fight it out for game time with James Forrest and Charly Musonda when he heads back to Glasgow. He will more than likely not have to deal with Paddy Roberts who looks set to leave the club after his loan spell ends in May.
I like Ryan Christie and we haven’t seen him perform to anywhere near to his level in a Celtic jersey but he is NOT a replacement for a Paddy Roberts in full injury-free flow.
Still clinging to the vein hope that we can get a permanent deal fro Paddy sorted in the summer. I know, it’s time to stop the personal delusions!
Open the Celtic vault, the fans want Roberts as a Celtic player not as a loanee. We demand that the funds are made available to buy Roberts and get him settled. Do it, and do it for the fans. We have the money……use it.