Coy Brendan Rodgers praises talent of Scott McTominay, James McCarthy

James McCarthy could leave Everton on loan. Picture: Jan Kruger/Getty Images

There is a certain code that managers employ when questioned about potential player recruits. Neither confirming nor denying tends to be taken as a sign that there is genuine interest in names raised. Yesterday, Brendan Rodgers was quick to rule out any approach for Yaya Toure. When the Celtic manager was asked about reported loan moves for Manchester United's Scott McTominay and Everton's James McCarthy, though, his flat response was that he had 'nothing to add'.

It remains to be seen if either midfielder pops up at Lennoxtown in the remaining fortnight of the window. There would appear more likelihood of the 21-year-old McTominay being brought north owing to his wages being understood to be less than half of the £50,000-a-week McCarthy receives at Goodison Park.

“There are lots of rumours but nothing concrete,” 
said Rodgers, pictured, of any proposed business.

“We’ve brought in three boys and Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah have shown up well and already settled into the group. [Vakoun Issouf] Bayo is still going through the paperwork process and, hopefully, will be with us by the weekend. We hope to do some more business if we can but there’s nothing to add to the speculation. Yaya Toure? Well, his brother’s here [Kolo Toure is on the coaching staff at Celtic] but he’s not one we’re looking at.

“Scott McTominay is a talented young player but there’s nothing to add to that and the same goes for James McCarthy. Agents will strategically throw out a name to stick in the papers but then I’ll get a call from them asking me if I’m interested in the player because they read that I was; you know the game.”

The game for Celtic involves adding and taking away with Rodgers having a surfeit of senior players. No fewer than 37 are on the books; many aren’t in his plans. Loan deals to give players on the periphery game time will be sought for Lewis Morgan, Jack 
Hendry, Calvin Miller and Youssouf Mulumbu.

Rodgers appeared to rule out the addition of a new centre back in this window, his reason being that his two first-choice defenders in that position are staying for the second half of the season.

On-loan Leicester City player Filip Benkovic will not be recalled by the English Premier League side this window, while Dedryck Boyata will not be sold despite having no interest in extending his stay in Scotland beyond his current deal concluding at the close of this season.

“To be brutally honest, if we were to bring in someone of the quality we require [in central defence] they would want to play,” Rodgers said. “There are positions we’ll look at but that is one where a couple of our key players will move on and will need to be replaced. Obviously, we have young Kris Ajer and Jozo Simunovic already here. It’s an area of the team we will find it tough to strengthen in January but it’s a must to do that in the summer.

“It’s a possibility that we will spend more [money] in the next couple of weeks. We’ve brought in a couple of loans and a young boy with potential. I’m not sure – it’s down to availability and also to what’s affordable from the club’s 
perspective.

“But I think we’ll look to add to our squad. There are also a few lads we’ll be sending out on loan but there are still key areas we’ve been looking to strengthen over a period of time.”