Ryan Christie excited to work with Brendan Rodgers at Celtic

Celtic forward Ryan Christie is relishing the prospect of working with new manager Brendan Rodgers when he returns for pre-season training.

The 21-year-old scored his first goal for the Hoops in the 7-0 victory over Motherwell on the final day of the league campaign.

But the former Inverness CT star, who spent several months on loan with his former club in the first half of the season, has had limited chances to impress at Celtic so far.

Christie returned from that loan spell in November after suffering a leg injury, and former boss Ronny Deila opted for experience as Celtic fought off the challenge of Aberdeen to secure a fifth successive Scottish Premiership title.

Now Christie is ready to battle for his place in the Celtic side as he looks to make an impression on Rodgers following his appointment on Monday.

 "It's nice when a new gaffer comes in because everyone knows they're on the same level and you're just fighting for a place to impress, so it'll be in everyone's head to step in the door on top form at pre-season," Christie said to the club's official magazine.

"Obviously you go away in the summer to enjoy yourself and relax, but you keep yourself in good enough shape so that when you come back in you're as fit as you can be as you are trying to impress the new gaffer straight away.

"As soon as you come back you realise for pre-season that you don't actually have that long. It's not like you have another month-and-a-half before your first game of the season. You need to go straight away.

"Obviously it has been frustrating not playing but it's such a big squad and I need to remember I've signed a four-year deal so I'm here for the long term. I know that I've definitely learned and improved as a player, even if I'm not playing.

"I definitely feel I've come on through training with the boys and I've got stronger and fitter, so from that aspect I don't really feel like it has stalled my improvement, so that's good, but like I said, there is a very big squad so it's hard to even get your name on the list before a game, but when I have been involved I've enjoyed it."