3 reasons why Brendan Rodgers is pushing for a Liam Scales contract extension

Celtic sit top of the Scottish Premiership table but Brendan Rodgers has never been the type to rest on his laurels. Part of the reason why he has been so successful at Celtic Park is due to his ability to speak up and he has done exactly that with a contract deadline he wants addressing.

We published a report this week stating that Brendan Rodgers has made it explicitly clear to the Celtic board he would like a contract extension for Liam Scales. The defender's current deals runs out in a year a half, so it's understandable why this has become a concern for Brendan Rodgers.

3 reasons why Brendan Rodgers is pushing for a Liam Scales contract extension

But what makes Liam Scales so invaluable to The Hoops? Let's take a look at the 3 reasons why Brendan Rodgers is pushing for a Liam Scales contract extension...

1. Liam Scales is versatile

Liam Scales has played most matches for Celtic this season as he has been a very important player under Rodgers. Ageing at 25 years old, he is versatile but his main position is centre-back. Given that Cameron Carter-Vickers is absent and unavailable for selection, to be able to call upon a player with the skillset and versatility like Liam Scales has proven beneficial for Rodgers.

2. Liam Scales is still young for a defender

One factor about Liam Scales which is often overlooked is his age. Although he cannot be described as a "wonderkid", he is still a long way from his prime as a defender. He ages at 25 years old so by the time his contract runs out, he will be 26 years old.

With this in mind, Brendan Rodgers desire to tie down his future to the club is understandable. It must be said that playing his football in Ireland and Scotland thus-far in his career, his body should be finely tuned to keep the cogs turning for a lifetime.

3. Getting rid of that uncertainty within the squad

As we enter crunch time for the season and with the title race heating up, Scales will focus solely on playing his football, but it would help the team and the player to have his future decided. It would also massively help the morale of the team, to know not only the direction the club plan to move in but to know that their own hardwork will be rewarded too.

Certainly, Scales has no reason to be thinking about a move elsewhere. He is given a lot of trust and playing time by Brendan Rodgers, certainly becoming a fan-favourite in the meantime. With that being said, let's hope that the club and the player can reach an agreement to keep the former Shamrock Rovers man at Celtic Park.

Speaking about Scales, Brendan Rodgers said: “Well he’s outstanding. I’m so happy for him. He’s probably one of the biggest surprises of my career as a coach. It’s only because I hadn’t seen him play that much and there were other players ahead of him. Through people leaving and others getting injured, I’ve seen enough in training to give him the opportunity."

Next up for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership is Kilmarnock at home. It is a tough game against a tough team, but Liam Scales is expected to start at the back and continue his immense form. As a colossal defender who has the modern skillset to play it out from the back, he is a true asset to The Hoops.

Do you think Liam Scales will extend his stay with Celtic?