Ronny Deila: January priority to keep Celtic stars

Celtic manager Ronny Deila. Picture: SNS

CELTIC boss Ronny Deila insists retention rather than recruitment will be his priority when the January transfer window opens.

Speculation continues about the future of Hoops defender Virgil van Dijk and forward Kris Commons, both linked with a move to England.

The Parkhead club have been themselves linked with several players including Watford and Scotland winger Ikechi Anya and Dundee United midfielder Stuart Armstrong.

Ahead of the visit of Ross County on Saturday, Deila stressed the importance of keeping his squad intact and claimed that he does not have to sell anyone.

“To keep is more important than to get in,” said the Norwegian.

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“Consistency is everything. If you lose your best players you have to start all over again with new relations.

“So to keep is my first priority and then to get players in who can make the squad better.

“We know that we don’t have to sell anybody and that is a good feeling for me and the club.

“We want to keep our best players.

“If we can get players in early then we will do it. But it is going to be hard to get it arranged so quickly.

“The January window is more difficult than in the summer because the players you want are playing in teams who are fighting to reach their goals.

“So it is harder to get them.

“But we have good processes going on and, as I said, we want to be better on February 1.”

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