Sources: Celtic's stance on selling Callum Osmand revealed amid West Ham speculation
Martin O'Neill wants to keep striker Callum Osmand at Celtic this summer after he forced his way into the side at the end of last season.
Osmand, 20, struggled to make an impact in his debut season at Celtic following a move from Fulham last summer before his memorable Hearts goal that etched him into the club's folklore.
The Welsh forward had scored regularly in the Premier League 2 for the Cottagers' under-21 side but failed to ever appear in their first team.
He moved to Parkhead in search of a breakthrough into senior football, but was restricted to just four appearances by injuries and other players being ahead of him in the striker pecking order.
Osmand returned to the fold to score a key goal in Celtic's title-winning clash against Hearts last month, and as I revealed on the latest edition of Football Insider's Transfer Insider podcast, O'Neill is keen to give him more chances next season.
The 74-year-old is assessing the Hoops' forward options following his return as their new permanent boss on an initial one-year contract.
Osmand is one of four Celtic strikers under contract for next season, with Daizen Maeda widely expected to move on in the summer window.
Callum Osmand to stay at Celtic after tough debut season
Osmand scored regularly last season when he was fit, with two strikes in four senior appearances and three goals in as many games for Celtic B.
West Ham have been linked with a move for the 20-year-old after their relegation to the Championship, but Celtic are not expected to sanction an exit.
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, I explained: "Celtic will not be keen on letting Osmand go. He had a very eventful season up at Celtic following his arrival from Fulham.
"He didn't really get a look in under Brendan Rodgers, then Martin O'Neill didn't give him minutes in his first interim spell before he scored in their Scottish League Cup semi-final win over Rangers.
"Then he picked up a bad injury in the Europa League, which sidelined him for several months, but he obviously came back and scored that title-winning goal against Hearts, which has put him into Celtic folklore.
"I can't imagine Celtic will be willing to let Osmand leave anytime soon, and they'll be counting on him for next season."
What is the latest on Celtic's other strikers ahead of the summer?
Sources have revealed to Football Insider that Celtic will allow Maeda to leave after he fired them to the Premiership title last month.
The Japan striker spoke about his future with Japanese media in May, saying: "I want to take the next step and play in the Premier League, which has always been my goal."
Celtic have the option to extend Kelechi Iheanacho's contract by another year, but are yet to decide his future, while Shin Yamada is expected to move on after struggling out on loan.
Osmand and Johnny Kenny could be left as the Hoops' only striker options by the end of this month.