Celtic assistant manager John Kennedy has admitted that with the way Olivier Ntcham is performing it is tough to leave him out of the team at present.
Ntcham was linked with a move away from Celtic last summer and then again in the recently concluded transfer window.
He stayed put and has been in impressive form for the Bhoys in recent weeks, again turning in an accomplished display on Sunday as he scored and helped Celtic to a comfortable 3-0 Scottish Cup win over Clyde.
Kennedy believes that Ntcham's performances are seeing him nail down a spot in the side and revealed that he caught the eye at the club's winter training camp in Dubai.
"Ntcham has been terrific – especially since the turn of the year before Christmas", Kennedy told BBC Scotland.
"He's really kicked on since the training camp in Dubai.
"He's showing with great desire and hunger, and it's difficult to leave him out of the team."
Celtic's reward for beating Clyde is a Scottish Cup quarter-final tie against St Johnstone on either 29th February or 1st March.
Neil Lennon's men are next in action on Wednesday night when they play host to bottom club Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.
