Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has hinted he wants to keep Emilio Izaguirre at the club beyond the end of the season.

The Honduras international is one of the Hoops’ longest-serving players having moved to Parkhead from Motagua in the summer of 2010 and he has won eight major titles during his six-year stay with the club.

The 30-year-old has seen his first-team opportunities limited this season due to the form of Kieran Tierney and he is free to talk to other clubs in January, as he is out of contract at the end of the season.

The full-back has featured more regularly in recent weeks due to the ankle injury suffered in training by Tierney and Rodgers has been impressed by the Honduran’s form, hinting that he could now offer him a new deal.

When asked if he would like to keep Izaguirre, Rodgers said: “That’s the idea, to have the competition. We have one with experience and one with youthfulness.

So, it is a perfect balance.” The former Liverpool boss went on to praise the strength and depth of his squad, highlighting Izaguirre as the prime example of the quality he has in reserve.

Rodgers added: “Emilio has been very good since coming back into the team. It is a testament to how hard he has been working.

A lot of the guys who have been playing regularly have got a lot of credit – and quite rightly so. “But they have only been so good because there are a lot of guys in behind them who have been pushing them every day.”