Virgil van Dijk believes he is continuing to make progress at Celtic.
Speculation about the Dutchman's future has been persistent since the early days of his Celtic career but manager Ronny Deila insisted on Wednesday that the defender would stay at Parkhead to help the club in their Champions League qualification quest.
Van Dijk is still awaiting a Holland breakthrough, a situation which might make some players yearn to play in a higher-profile league. But the 23-year-old insists he is focused on helping Celtic win the domestic treble while improving as an individual.
Van Dijk, whose side face Scottish Premiership bottom club St Mirren on Friday night, said: “I think I have made a lot of progress but I also made big expectations from a lot of people around Celtic who judge.
“At Celtic there is always pressure and I’m a regular starter so there is expectation but there was a lot of speculation in the summer that I wanted to leave So, everybody was not so positive around me.
“But I just enjoy playing here. I’m only 23, I’m learning every day. I want to get the maximum out of myself, I want to be a better player and a better human being as well.
“When the season is going on or even if the transfer window is open, I am just focusing on Celtic, I close everything else off. I enjoy every day here. Hopefully we are going to win the treble, and that’s something we should enjoy.”
When asked what it would take to tempt him to leave, Van Dijk said: “It’s difficult to say. Every player wants to develop but I know Celtic is an amazing club, a very big club, and you don’t want to leave Celtic for a lesser club.
“Until the time is there I just want to talk about Celtic and nothing else. I will see what happens in the summer but as it looks right now, I am still here.”
The former Groningen player, who is almost halfway through a four-year contract, added: “I’m not in a rush but if the opportunity is there, you never know because it’s football. But I am just focusing on Celtic, winning the treble.”
