Wayne Veysey

Wed 1 March 2017 6:55, UK

By Alex Stevens

Erik Sviatchenko has confirmed that Leicester tried to prise him from Celtic during the January transfer window.

The Scottish Sun reported the runaway Scottish Premiership leaders held talks with the defender’s agent amid growing interest from Premier League clubs, particularly Leicester.

Sviatchenko has had an impressive season for Brendan Rodgers’ side, and is now considered the Bhoys’ first-choice defender.

He has been a mainstay of the team this season, starting 18 of Celtic’s 26 Scottish Premiership matches and eight of their 10 Champions League ties.

Asked if he was aware of clubs being keen on him as the hours counted down to the window shutting, Sviatchenko, 25, told the Scottish Sun: “Yes, I was aware. I’m always aware when my agent is having some talks, but there has to be more than just talks.

“There was concrete interest but not a concrete offer. Was it Leicester? Yes.”

At the time, Danish defender Sviatchenko had just lost his place in the starting line-up to Dedryck Boyata but he insists his head was never turned although he does hope of play in the Premier League eventually.

Sviatchenko added to the Scottish Sun: “I had a really good year here and my agent was over talking about the future.

“There was never an issue about me wanting to leave. I’m 25, I want to play regularly and here is the perfect place to flourish and find your A game.

“I said I was happy where I am. It was too early for me at that stage. It is a dream for every player, including myself, to play at the very top level.

“The English Premier League is one of the highest levels you can play at.

“But the experience so far, with the Champions League and how we play, means I think I am at the right stage at the moment.

“It is future talk. I would be honest and transparent and say that my dream is to play in the Premier League.

“But I am not saying I want to do it now because I have more than enough to do yet. I feel I have come a long way but I am not done at all yet.

“The Champions League nights have been the biggest nights of my career so far and I would like to experience more of them.”

The former FC Midtjylland defender moved to Celtic in January of last year for £1.5million and has struck up a fine partnership at the back with Jozo Simunovic.

Football Insider verdict:

Rodgers must do all he can to keep the Danish ace in Glasgow as Celtic’s centre-back replacements are a considerable step down. Kolo Toure is way past his best and is only a stop-gap, Mikael Lustig is better at right-back, while Boyata has struggled to consistently earn the manager’s trust. Selling Sviatchenko  would mean the Hoops will lose an integral member of their squad and it will be difficult to source a replacement of equal quality. The club must fend off interest in the great Dane in the summer.

In other Celtic transfer news, a deal is all but done as the club are set to seal the switch of a 28-year-old international.

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