STUART Armstrong looks set to finally agree terms on extending his stay at Celtic after admitting he was ‘looking forward’ to his new contract.
Parkhead manager Brendan Rodgers first intimated in January that he wished to tie down the Scotland internationalist beyond the expiry of his current terms in 2018 on the back of what has been the finest season of the 25-year-old’s career. Armstrong has played 49 games for club and country over the campaign from Champions League showpieces to World Cup qualifiers, netting 17 goals along the way.
Talks have been ongoing between the Scottish treble winners and the former Dundee United midfielder’s representatives for some time, with the man himself remaining pragmatic and ever so slightly coy when it came to speculation about his future in recent months.
But in the wake of Scotland’s 2-2 draw with England at Hampden on Saturday which brought a prolonged season eventually to a close, Armstrong revealed he is now turning his attention on getting his future at Celtic finalised.
“Yes, that was something we had talked about and had decided to leave until the season was finished and then we would pick things up again from there,” he explained. “I’m sure we will take care of that soon.
“You can never put a time limit on these things but they normally take care of themselves.”
When asked if he’d be keen to stay, Armstrong added: “Yes, it is the happiest I have been in my footballing career. That has shown on the park and I am very happy and playing well.
“It has been a good season but it has been a long season. There has been a lot of work put in and a lot of games and travelling so I will be looking to switch off from football for the next while before we get back in.”
Rodgers has made no secret of the fact Armstrong has a big part to play in his plan to take Celtic to the next level in his second season as Parkhead manager. Speaking in April, the Northern Irishman said: “A lot of the boys are tied into the club for the next three to five years – young Kieran signed a five-year deal last summer, Tom Rogic, and Stuart Armstrong is the one we’re with at the moment so we’re hoping he’ll sign another deal.”
Meanwhile, Celtic confirmed yesterday their pre-season training camp in Austria will conclude with a game against Slavia Prague in the Czech Republic on July 4.
Prior to that, the champions will be put through their paces in Linz, taking on local side BW Linz in Rohrbach on June 28 before making the short trip to Amstetten to play Rapid Vienna on July 1.
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