Celtic should make it ‘a priority’ to secure a new contract for Tom Rogic, according to journalist Andy Newport.
The lowdown
The Australian midfielder joined Celtic in 2013 in a £432,000 move from A-League outfit Central Coast Mariners. He has gone on to make 254 appearances for the club, winning the Premiership six times and racking up 10 cup medals as well.
The 29-year-old has now entered the final 18 months of his £15,000-per-week contract at Parkhead.
He has been in fine form of late, with eight goals and assists in his last seven appearances. On Sunday, he scored twice as Celtic routed Motherwell 4-0 to remain top of the Premiership.
The latest
As part of The Daily Record’s ‘Monday Jury’, Newport and his colleagues were asked how important it was for Celtic to renew Rogic’s deal.
He duly replied: “There were plenty ready to write Rogic off last season but he’s always been one of the most gifted players in Scotland and Postecoglou’s arrival has brought him back to his best. At 29, he’s still got a few more years at the top left in him so a new deal should be a priority.”
Newport’s colleague Michael Gannon added: “It would be handy for Celtic to have an insurance policy for the Aussie as there are bound to be clubs looking at him again. He looked done at Parkhead but is now on another level.”
The verdict
Rogic’s upturn in form during the 2021/22 campaign has been striking. Last term, he only managed two goals and five assists in 31 appearances across all competitions, but he has doubled that goal contribution output (five goals, nine assists) in just over half a season under Ange Postecoglou.
Gannon’s statement that the 29-year-old ‘looked done’ at Celtic before his compatriot took over as manager illustrates Rogic’s turnaround in fortunes, as does Newport’s observation that ‘there were plenty ready’ to write him off.
Having responded superbly, the Australian deserves to be rewarded with improved terms, keeping him at Celtic for his remaining years at the top of his game.
In other news, Kieran Devlin has hailed one Celtic player’s ‘astonishing’ performances