Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Start Armstrong’s agent and advisors are to blame for the player’s delay in signing a new contract.
Armstrong is represented by Pro-Legal, a firm with close ties to the Scottish Professional Footballers’ Association. Rodgers is under the impression that the player’s advisors have created false rumours about Armstrong wanting to leave the club which consequently has affected his form on the pitch.
“This is a simple deal that should have been sorted out before the end of last season,” said Rodgers.
“Now it’s dragged on and on and on way too long for what, with all due respect, is a simple deal. Christ, it’s not a big multi multi-million pound deal.”
The former Liverpool boss confirmed that the club has been working on a contract extension for the 25-year-old all along and that there is an offer still on the table.
“I read a headline about the board sorting it out. This isn’t just solely the board.
“There has been an offer there for a long time now which is a really, really good offer.”
Rodgers then went on length to lambast Armstrong’s representatives.
“But if representatives feel there are maybe other options for him, and we haven’t had an offer, and they want to wait and wait and wait to see what happens, then okay, that’s what you do. But the player suffers.”
“It’s not the boy, it’s not him,” he added.
Armstrong was one of Celtic’s key players as they completed a domestic treble last season. Now with just one year remaining in his contract, the midfielder has not featured as regularly as he would have hoped for in the 2017/18 campaign.
Add Sportslens to your Google News Feed!
