BRENDAN RODGERS has not ruled out Celtic making a permanent move for current loan star Filip Benkovic but admitted it would be ‘Very Difficult’ to get a deal done for the emerging Parkhead star.
Speaking at the AGM as cited by Leicester Mercury the Irishman was candid but clear on Celtic’s position: “Filip is here on a loan period and Leicester have the opportunity to take him back in January,” said Rodgers.
“He is really happy here and Leicester let us have him for a reason – which was to come and get game time and prepare him for the Premier League next season.
“The likelihood is that this is a very difficult deal but if there was an opportunity it was one we would look at for sure.
“He is a big talent, but lots of these players from around Europe want to play in the Premier League.
“He is at a big club with Leicester but has come to a very big club here to get experience and is loving every second of it. We will have to wait and see what transpires over the next couple of months.”
Benkovic has been a revelation since joining Celtic. The player has helped steady Celtic’s defence and the Croatian has built up a great rapport with Belgium defender Deryck Boyata.
Celtic did try and sign Benkovic on a permanent deal from Zagreb a few years back but the club wanted too much for him at the time.
It turns out the club could have probably got him cheaper had they shelled out the cash then.
Benkovic is already playing to a high standard and the sky is the limit for the defender who many Celtic fans are starting to put in the Virgil van Dijk category.
The defender played a big role in Celtic’s Europa League win and could help the club get European football beyond Christmas in the next few weeks.
