Why Celtic must immediately tie down Leigh Griffiths to a new long-term deal
Celtic have a tough task ahead of them as they must silence rivals Rangers next season after the Ibrox hierarchy cut the club’s allocation for their home matches in the Old Firm derbies.
Next season’s visits to Ibrox will be different for the Bhoys. The Gers have cut Celtic’s allocation to just 800 fans in a tiny corner. The next away Old Firm derby, scheduled for December 29th, promises to be a hostile experience for Brendan Rodgers’ men. It is not known if Celtic will also cut the Ger’s allocation at Celtic Park.
Next season, Griffiths will face tough competition for a starting spot from Moussa Dembele and Odsonne Edouard. Although suggests that Moussa Dembele could leave Parkhead this summer, manager Brendan Rodgers must ensure that he has at least three strikers to call upon.
Five-time Scottish champion, Griffiths is positive that he will sign a new long-term deal at Celtic soon. The 27-year-old scored nine Premiership goals last season in 22 matches and provided 2 assists. The versatile forward, who can either play as a striker or on either wing, must strive to improve his fitness levels ahead of the new campaign.
Competing with Dembele and Edouard won’t be easy but if Griffiths manages to stay fit and maintain his form, he would have a great chance of making an impact for Rodgers’ men next season. The Edinburgh native has a total of 98 goals and 43 assists from 183 games for Celtic.
His current contract with the club will end only in the summer of 2021. Nevertheless, this is the right time to tie him down to a long-term deal to ward off potential suitors. Griffiths’ willingness to commit to an improved long-term deal at Celtic Park will just be what the Hoops’ fans want to hear in a summer where a host of their star players have attracted interest from bigger sides.
Players linked with summer moves away from Celtic include Dembele, Tierney and Boyata among others. If Celtic are to defend their double treble and make progress in Europe, they must ensure their star players continue at Celtic Park beyond the summer.
