Stuart Armstrong comments on decision to swap Celtic for Southampton

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Stuart Armstrong left Scottish Premiership champions Celtic and became the latest Hoops star to make the move to Southampton this summer.

In comments reported by the Evening Times, Stuart Armstrong has hinted that Brendan Rodgers was the reason behind his decision to stay with Celtic for one more season before he finally landed a Premier League move, with Southampton signing the midfielder for £7 million this summer.

Armstrong spent much of his spell with the Hoops being linked with a move away from Parkhead. After an uninspiring stint during Ronny Deila’s tenure, the Scotland international looked transformed under Rodgers and finished his first campaign working with the Northern Irishman with 17 goals in all competitions as the Bhoys strolled to a domestic Treble.

It surprised many that he ended up signing a new contract and sticking around for another year. He did struggle to make as great an impact for Celtic and finished the season with just four goals – and another three trophies – before leaving for St Mary’s in the early stages of the summer window.

And after a few months with the Saints, Armstrong insisted that he feels that he made the right move to become the latest Celtic star to swap Celtic Park for the south coast of England, with the midfielder suggesting that wanting to work under Rodgers made him delay seeking that move away.

“The time was right,” he said, as reported by the Evening Times.

“The summer before, I had some thoughts about it, but I had had one season with Brendan Rodgers, and I wanted another. I knew in the back of my head that, ultimately, the time would come when I wanted a fresh challenge, and if I didn’t take it, I would probably have regretted it. It was about changing for a bit of experience and trying something new.”

Armstrong has made a bright start to life with Southampton, and it does appear that he will prove to be a bargain signing for the club in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Celtic have perhaps not missed him too much. The Hoops’ midfield continues to prove to be the best in Scotland, and while Armstrong’s presence may have left them more dominant, the £7 million sale appears to have suited all parties at this stage.