Vegalta Sendai boss Graham Arnold has admitted he would love to have Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic at his new club.
The 20-year old Australian international midfielder has been linked with a possible short-term deal with the J.League in a bid to receive more game time ahead of next year's World Cup.
Rogic is finding regular football difficult to come by at Celtic and could spend some time under his former Central Coast Mariners head coach Arnold in Japan but the Vegalta manager distanced himself from making actual contact regarding a loan.
"I've had a conversation with Tom; it wasn't so much about coming on loan to Sendai or anything - it was more about being his ex-coach and what he needs as a footballer," he told AAP.
"The kid has had a meteoric rise from when he was at the Mariners.
"He only became a professional footballer here and he played 10 games with us before he went to Celtic. And now, since he's been at Celtic, he's probably only played another 10 games.
"He needs to play football. He needs to get on the pitch and start playing 90-minute games and that's the only way he'll develop further and improve.
"I'd always find a spot in my team for a Tom Rogic if I could, but he's a Celtic player at the moment and, hopefully, he can get game time there."
