Celtic ‘among favourites to land £8m-rated Brendan Rodgers signing’

Celtic have unexpectedly joined the clubs leading the chase to sign Liverpool striker Danny Ings.

Hoops boss Brendan Rodgers brought Ings to Anfield for £8 million three years ago and the ex-Burnley man looks set to leave Liverpool this summer.

Southampton, Newcastle United and Rangers have all been linked with the 25-year-old forward but Celtic’s odds - longer than 22/1 earlier this week - have dramatically been cut to just 6/1. Burnley and Crystal Palace are both priced at 8/1 with Skybet to sign the forward.

Celtic took up an option to buy Odsonne Edouard, who spent last season on loan at the club, as the Hoops added a third striker to their attack. Edouard joined compatriot Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths, but the latter is struggling with a thigh strain and faces up to a month on the sidelines.

However, Rodgers has already played down speculation linking him with a reunion with Ings, saying earlier this summer: “Danny is a fantastic player and has been really, really unfortunate for a few years with injury but I have got the three strikers at the moment and we don’t need any more.

“We signed Odsonne Edouard on a permanent deal and he is a class act. We also have Moussa Dembele and Leigh Griffiths so with those three we are well covered.”