BORN-AGAIN Celt Dedryck Boyata is determined to stay and fight for a place in Brendan Rodgers’ first team as the Hoops zero in on the domestic treble.
The Belgian central defender celebrated only his third start of the campaign by thundering in a header for the winning goal in the midweek 1-0 triumph over St Johnstone.
It was a result that equalled a 50-year old record achieved by Jock Stein’s Lisbon Lions with the champions stretching their unbeaten sequence against Scottish opposition to 26 games.
A win over Hearts in the east end of Glasgow on Sunday will shatter that half-century record.
Anderlecht have shown an interest in the former Manchester City defender who still has two-and-a-half years on his contract to run.
But the message from Boyata is clear that his desire is to stay right where he is.
He said: “If it is down to me, I won’t leave. I have told my agent if there is nothing concrete not to tell me and I haven’t heard anything.
“I am not going to lie to you, it has been a difficult time for me since the beginning of the season.
“But I have been working hard and waiting for this kind of moment. I’m very happy with what has happened this week.
“Despite all the speculation, I wasn’t listening to anything because you never know what can happen.
“But I am still a Celtic player. That’s all I was thinking about. I am working hard to stay in the team, but only the manager can decide this.”
