Brendan Rodgers has spoken about links with Chelsea forward Dominic Solanke, calling him a "fantastic talent" and saying he is in a market Celtic should be targeting.

The 19-year old striker has not signed a new contract at Stamford Bridge and looks set to leave this summer, with Celtic tipped to beat other clubs to his signature.

The Celtic boss stopped short of saying he had a definite interest in signing Solanke but said he had a long history with the player and had played a part in his development.

"[There's] nothing much other than I know Dominic well," Rodgers said. "I took Dominic into Chelsea when he was eight years of age.

"When I was academy director at Reading I left to go to Chelsea back in 2004 and at that time Dominic was one of the first young players I took in.

"He worked at the development centres at Reading and when I moved to Chelsea we took him in."

He added: "I'm delighted for him and the career that he's had up until now as a young player. He's a fantastic talent but [I can say] no more that. I only speak on him because I know the player.

"He's a big talent and it's unfortunate that he's maybe not going to renew his contract at Chelsea because it's a great club but he obviously deems that his future lies elsewhere.

"Apart from that, nothing else to add. I can see where there's maybe a connection with him but nothing more than that."

Transfer rules mean Celtic could sign Solanke by paying only a fraction of the development fee English clubs would have to pay Chelsea.

Rodgers said that advantage, and the offer of playing at a club where demands and rewards are high, made the club an attractive option for players.

He said the current footballing landscape in England create a market that Celtic had to be interested in.

"I think there's a few things to it," he said.

"I think across the board I've always said that this is a huge club that will attract players no matter what but I think the compensation situation up here means that it's a very attractive for a young player, his family and an agent to think that you can come out of England maybe and come up to an absolutely huge club.

"You look at Moussa [Dembele's] development this year. Look at Patrick Roberts' development. He leaves here a winner when he goes back to Manchester City.

"He's getting his hands on trophies and playing Champions League football. He's playing big games and learning to become a winner."

Rodgers added: "There's a huge attraction here for any young player. What you have in England is some outstanding clubs, some fantastic academies but unfortunately there's only so many of them can play in the first team.

"There's a raft of huge talent and it would be silly for us not to be able to tap into that when maybe the right profile of player becomes available."