NEIL Lennon has responded to reports Monaco are interested in landing Odsonne Edouard during the January transfer window by stating the Celtic striker will not be sold this month.
Lennon's team are bidding to win a record-equalling ninth consecutive Scottish title and will meet Copenhagen in the last 32 of the Europa League next month.
The Glasgow club signed Poilish forward Patryk Klimala for £3.5m this month and can also field Leigh Griffiths and Vakoun Bayo in attack.
But the Parkhead manager stressed that there is no chance of the treble treble winners cashing in on record £9m signing Edouard, who took his tally for the 2019/20 campaign to 20 with a double against Ross County at the weekend, this month.
"I would tell you that he won’t be going anywhere," he said. "There is absolutely no chance of that. He is too good a player and you could see the impact he made at the weekend.
"We were concerned about his toe being tender and he had an x-ray on Friday. We felt he wasn’t fit to start, but he felt okay and within half an hour he comes on and lights the place up.
"I was absolutely delighted with his performance, delighted. He is unbelievable. He is just so laid back he is horizontal. He doesn’t get affected by anything. He is quiet and has a cool streak about him. A really good demeanour as well."
Elsewhere, Lennon expressed hope that Jeremie Frimpong, the right back who suffered a knee injury in the 3-1 win over Kilmarnock at Rugby Park last week, would also be back soon.
"He is seeing a specialist today," he said. "We think he will be alright, we are just going to get some reassurance from the specialist on that. You miss him and miss his infectiousness and his quality. So we are hoping he will be back sooner rather than later."
Lennon, who will have Kristoffer Ajer and Ryan Christie in his squad for the Ladbrokes Premiership game against St Johnstone in Perth tonight, is hopeful Hatem Elhamed and Mohammed Elyounoussi will be back in training soon.
Elsewhere, he revealed Celtic are in talks with Jonny Hayes, the utility player whose current contract expires in the summer.
"I think there are talks ongoing at the minute, but I don’t know where we are with that," said Lennon.
"He is a good squad player and in the big games he’s done me a turn, there is no question of that, and he knows his role within the squad as well."
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