Former Celtic attacker Kris Commons insists Brendan Rodgers is “better than Leicester” as the Northern Irishman looks set to return to the Premier League.
The Parkhead club “very reluctantly” granted their 46-year-old manager permission to hold discussions with the Foxes, who are looking for a successor to Claude Puel following his dismissal on Sunday.
Since taking over in 2016, the former Liverpool boss has won seven out of seven trophies for Celtic who are on course this season for an unprecedented domestic treble-treble.
Commons, who played for Celtic between 2011 and 2017, described Rodgers’ impending move as “a strange one.”
He told told Sky Sports News: “The English Premier League has played a huge part in Brendan going down there.
“Leicester have got a top coach, a proven manager but personally I think Brendan is better than Leicester.
“He proved that at Liverpool, he proved that at Celtic, he is a tremendous manager, a great coach and I think Leicester have got a real top manager.
“It wasn’t so long ago he was linked with the Arsenal job. I think that is the sort of thing that Brendan wants.
“He wants to be winning titles, wants to be part of cup-winning teams.
“Whether this is a stepping stone, a couple of years, to look at possibly the likes of Arsenal, maybe a Chelsea, I think that is more in Brendan Rodgers’ mind right now.”
Commons, these days a pundit, is also surprised by the timing.
He said: “I understand why he has gone there. The seven trophies he got was a phenomenal return. He does go with good wishes but the added spice to it is the timing of it all.
“He is the manager of Celtic, he is on the cusp of winning an eighth Premiership title, he has the opportunity to win the treble, the timing is a little bit off.
“I would have thought he would have waited until the end of the season.”
Former Celtic boss Neil Lennon, who signed Commons, is reportedly set to replace Rodgers until the end of the season.
Commons said: “If he does move in, the opportunity to take Celtic to the third treble in a row, would be quite a lure for him. Celtic runs through his blood.
“I don’t think Neil Lennon would be in any sort of position to turn this job down.
“He is a great manager, who does wonderfully well in Scotland and he thrives on the atmosphere of Celtic supporters.
“But he has big boots to fill. Seven trophies in a row for Brendan Rodgers, it is a tall order to keep that going.”
