RODGERS SET FOR AMBROSE BATTLE

The Super Eagles have released a provisional 35-man squad for this summer’s Olympics in Rio. The Celtic star is not included in the group, but it is understood the 27-year-old versatile performer features on the list yet to be called up for the Brazilian showpiece.

Nigerian international skipper John Obi Mikel is in the original squad, but there are doubts over the availability of the Chelsea midfielder for the tournament that will run from August 3 until the end of the month.

Reports claim Ambrose, who is likely to be part of Rodgers’ squad for the Champions League qualifiers – against either Estonian side Flora Talinn or Lincoln of Gibraltar – is being considered if a vacant space appears.

This would give the new Hoops boss a headache as Nigeria get ready to fly to the USA for a training camp meaning the player would be unavailable for the vital first few matches of the Euro qualifying campaign.

Ambrose is expected to join the rest of his team-mates at Glasgow Airport today as they jet out to Slovenia for a four-match tour.

The five-in-a-row champions will be based in Maribor as Rodgers steps up his Champions League preparations on the back of a productive few days training at Lennoxtown.

After arriving at around 7pm tonight, the players will have to wait three days for their first fixture of the tour when they make the short journey to take on NK Celje on Thursday night.

On the back of that, they will then cross the border to face Austrian outfit Sturm Graz on Sunday, July 3.

The following Wednesday Celtic will travel to the Slovenian capital for a game against Olimpija Ljubljana, before finishing off with a friendly contest against Maribor, the side that dumped Ronny Deila’s team out of the Champions League play-off round two years ago.