CELTIC’S frozen-out midfielder Kwon Hyeok-kyu is a loan Bhoy in demand.
The South Korean anchorman arrived in the summer in a £3million double deal with winger Yang Yang Hyun-jun, but has yet to kick a competitive ball in Brendan Rodgers’ first team.
Kwon signed a temporary deal with Premiership rivals St Mirren last month and impressed Paisley boss Stephen Robinson has already opened talks with the champions to keep the player for a further season.
The middle-of-the-park enforcer has seen his career in Scotland take off with the Saints and they are keen to persuade his parent club to allow him to sign a 12-month extension.
SHOVE OFF…on-loan Celt Kwon Hyeok-kyu is challenged by Todd Cantwell in St Mirren’s recent 1-0 loss to the Ibrox club in Paisley.
Gaffer Robinson, speaking to the
Daily Record, said: “He’s someone we’d really like to keep. We’re speaking to Celtic about it, perhaps keeping him for another season.
“We’d be very keen to do that, but he isn’t our player and that won’t be our decision. We knew he’d have an influence, it was about getting him game-time.
“He came to the country and hasn’t played a lot. It’s getting him used to Scottish football, long throws and long balls at times that he maybe isn’t used to. The physicality of our game.
“He’s added that bit of quality and composure. It’s something we’d be very keen to get done. It’s possibly a long way off happening, but that would be in an ideal world for me.”
The Saints will have to wait for an answer with the Hoops bracing themselves for a bid for Matt O’Riley in the summer following reports Atletico Madrid were knocked back last month.
NOW YOU SEE ME…Kwon Hyeok-kyu proudly holds his Celtic jersey after his summer arrival.
Rodgers also has a decision to make concerning on-loan Benfica playmaker Paulo Bernardo whose temporary deal expires in June.
The Irishman will also be hoping Reo Hatate has completely overcome the muscular problems that have severelly hampered his progress in this campaign.
In the ball-winning role in the team, Rodgers has captain Callum McGregor as his lynchpin while there will also be claims from Tomoki Iwata, who started the 3-1 win over Motherwell at the weekend, and Odin Holm, who is also recovering from injury.
Kwon may yet have a role to play at Celtic, but Rodgers will not be rushed into any decisions until he gets a clearer picture in the summer.
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