Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Belgian defender Dedryck Boyata's situation is "difficult" after the player's agent criticised the club.

Celtic have already rejected an offer from Fulham for the centre-back after his displays for his country at the World Cup and Sevilla have been linked with a bid.

However, Boyata's agent Jacques Lichtenstein has been quoted by newspapers as saying:"Dedryck is disappointed because he was made promises that have not been kept" and claiming that the club had said it would not be hard to deal with if offers came in.

Boyata hasn't played for the club since returning from Russia and has been out with a back injury.

He missed the 1-0 defeat against Hearts on Saturday and when asked after the game if Boyata could play, Rodgers said: "I am not sure. It is difficult for a player.

"My concentration is on the players who are going to play and are fit to play and to see if we can go out there and meet the challenge and get the result.

"We will see over the next couple of days.

"There are a couple of issues medically with him as well and of course at this stage it is difficult for players, I respect that. But he is not disruptive."

Boyata's agent had also complained that Celtic had been difficult to communicate with and Rodgers explained why he hadn't spoken with him.

He said: "I haven't had dealings with Dedryck's agent, it has all been through the club.

"The club have been in negotiation with Dedryck's agent from last year.

"It is clear we want to keep him but probably right for him he wanted to wait until after the World Cup to see how it went.

"There have been one or two offers for him but if we lose a centre-half of that quality at this vital stage, we have to replace him.

"The only other point; Dedryck's agent turned up yesterday at the training ground, which is closed the day before the game.

"He wanted to speak to me at 10 o'clock. I have a meeting with players at 10.30 and I said I couldn't meet him before but I would after I had done my work.

"Obviously when I came back after training he wasn't there. That's where it is at.

"But he is a player we don't want to lose".