Franco Di Santo was a reported transfer target for Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers in January.
Schalke striker Franco Di Santo has told Get German Football News that he is grateful for the impact Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers had on his career.
Di Santo, 28, worked with Rodgers in the Chelsea youth academy when the Argentine striker was coming through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and has gone on to play for the likes of Wigan Athletic, Werder Bremen and Blackburn Rovers.
The target man was reportedly a target for Celtic boss Rodgers in the January transfer window, according to the Daily Mirror, but a move failed to materialise.
Asked which managers had the biggest impact on his career, Di Santo reflected on his time with the Premier League champions and mentioned Rodgers as the man to have given him the belief and confidence to thrive.
“I think that every one of the coaches I had at Chelsea were really important for me, even Brendan Rodgers when I used to play in the youth team,” Di Santo said.
“He gave me a lot of confidence and that gave me the step forward to play with the first team so I am grateful for every one of my coaches at Chelsea and in general.”
Di Santo is not particularly renowned for his goals but it is more his link-up play in the final third that sees him continuing to turn out regularly for German giants Schalke. He has scored four goals in 26 games this season.
With January interest falling on deaf ears, a summer move couldstill be on the cards, with only a year left on Di Santo’s contract in Germany with Odsonne Eduoard’s future yet to be decided, while speculation still surrounds Moussa Dembele.
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