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Brendan Rodgers 'very happy' at Celtic amid Arsenal speculation

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - FEBRUARY 15:  Brendan Rogers, Celtic Head Coach looks on during UEFA Europa League Round of 32 match between Celtic and Zenit St Peters
Image: Could Brendan Rodgers replace Arsene Wenger?

Brendan Rodgers has distanced himself from speculation linking him with the Arsenal job, saying he is "very happy" at Celtic.

Rodgers is among the favourites to take over at the Emirates in the summer after Arsene Wenger announced he would be leaving the club.

However, speaking after Celtic missed the chance to clinch the Scottish Premiership title with defeat at Hibernian on Saturday, Rodgers said: "There is always a lot of speculation around.

"I have three years left on my contract here, I am very happy. There is always going to be speculation because with Arsene leaving there has to be names put in the hat."

Rodgers has previous Premier League experience having managed Swansea and Liverpool.

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Asked about his attitude now to a possible approach, Rodgers said: "I would speak to the board. It would take something extraordinary to take me away from here. I have a great relationship with Dermot [major shareholder Dermot Desmond].

"I came in on a year's deal and the club offered me four years and I was happy to sign that. After this season I will have three more years and I will be so happy if I can see that three years out.

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"I love working here and the whole process of developing players, winning games and seeing the club progress. There is still a lot to do here.

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"I am obviously privileged to be manager of Celtic, big club, huge demands and I am only helping the club grow and go forward and order to do that it is about happiness.

"There will be somewhere I can go and maybe earn two or three times more money than I am now.

"It is not about that. I am still relatively young as a manager at 45, I am happy in my professional life and really content outside of that as well."

Celtic were made to wait to win the Scottish Premiership title after losing 2-1 to Hibernian on Saturday.

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They could now secure their seventh straight league win when they face Old Firm rivals Rangers next Sunday, live on Sky Sports.

"We have had very few off days but today was certainly one of those," said Rodgers.

"Credit to Hibs, they were the better team. They deserved to win, they had good intent and intensity and closed us down well. We didn't deal with that well enough in terms of coping with the press, didn't play through it quick enough and were too slow on the ball.

"We caused our own issues in the build-up to the first goal by making wrong choices. We wanted to win, didn't happen, so now we have to recover and get ready for next week."

Watch Celtic v Rangers live on Sky Sports on Sunday, April 29 from midday

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