Transfer Centre

Neil Lennon fears Joe Ledley, Georgios Samaras exits

By Joe Fish, Reporter | 20 December 2013

Celtic manager Neil Lennon admits that Joe Ledley and Georgios Samaras are both likely to leave the club in January, before their contracts expires in the summer.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon has admitted that Joe Ledley and Georgios Samaras are likely to leave the club when the transfer window reopens.

The contracts of both players expire in the summer and although the Bhoys are keen to keep them in Scotland, discussions over new deals are yet to prove fruitful.

With the club seemingly unwilling to risk losing two of their star assets for nothing at the end of the season, Lennon has confessed that there is a serious possibility both midfielder Ledley and striker Samaras could be sold in January, but has also revealed that Celtic are yet to receive any offers for either player.

"The honest answer would be, realistically, yes," Lennon told reporters. "The contracts are up in the summer. We are getting to the point where there will be a lot of speculation about both players but we have made it clear that we are willing to speak to them and we have spoken to Joe already but we have had nothing back.

"[They are] two players that we don't want to go but we can't force them to stay although we are doing everything we can at the minute to do that. But we have had no indication of what the players want to do. The ball is very much in their court at the minute.

"We are planning for next season anyway but obviously we would like some indication of what they are going to do. It is a difficult situation for us and for them. "I spoke to them both personally a while back but I have had nothing back since. I have no idea if there are any offers for them, any interest in them. We have had no phone calls for them."

Samaras has scored seven goals in 18 appearances for Celtic this term, while Ledley has been a regular in the Scottish champions' midfield since joining from Cardiff City on a free transfer in 2010.