Filip Benkovic seems determined to leave Celtic and return to Premier League side Leicester City this summer.
Filip Benkovic has confirmed to Sportske Novosti that he does not intend on staying with Celtic for the long term.
Benkovic joined Celtic on a season-long loan last summer, shortly after completing a £13 million move to Leicester City [Sky Sports].
The Croatian centre-back has been a revelation at Parkhead and many Hoops fans have been calling for a permanent transfer.
The 21-year-old hinted last month [The Scottish Sun] that he planned to stay at Leicester next season, but now he has effectively confirmed the blow for Celtic.
He told Sportske Novosti:“I want to make another step at the end of the season. I want to show that I can play in the English Premier League.”
The big defender, who is injured at the moment, only turns 22 in July, and Benkovic admits that he has a ways to go before he’s the finished article.
“I want to emphasise that I still have to make progress. I can still do a lot of work on my game to be an even more complete player, I just need to work.
“I cannot wait for new challenges, I want more challenges, I set very high goals. I’ll do absolutely everything to reach them.”
In an ideal world, Celtic would sign Benkovic as a long-term replacement for Dedryck Boyata, who’s out of contract in Glasgow in June, but it looks like Brendan Rodgers will have two stalwarts to replace during the summer transfer window.
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