CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers confirmed last night that the club are in talks over signing 21-year-old Ukrainian international winger Maryan Shved but the intention is to loan him out for the remainder of the season. The Karpaty Lviv player, back in his homeland for a second spell after a stint in Spanish football with Seville, has one full cap for his country and is available for a fee thought to be in the region of £1.75m

“The club have been in contact with Maryan’s representatives and he’s a talented young player for the future,” said Rodgers, speaking after the 4-0 win against St Mirren which took the Parkhead side clear of second-placed Kilmarnock in the Ladbrokes Premiership table. “They’ll look to get the deal done and he’ll probably be out on loan and in during the summer.

“It’s something that’s come to the club through circumstance and he’s been watched and looked at but I can’t say I know a great deal about him,” he added. “But what I have seen he’s a talent and something that will probably benefit the club in the future. We’ve got about a million wingers and don’t need another one. But he’s a talent and in the summer we’ll probably lose wingers and he’ll look to come in. He's not one that will probably help us now.”

Rodgers had words of praise for his other January signings Oliver Burke and Timothy Weah, both of whom were on target on their league debuts for the club. Burke, on-loan from West Brom, scored twice, with Weah also scoring for the second match in a row. Scott Sinclair was the other scorer on the night, from the penalty spot.

“Oliver is a talent,” said the Northern Irishman “We’re coaching him in and giving him clarity in terms of what it is he has to do but his strength and power is phenomenal. His touch is good - a couple of times it got away from him tonight but that happens - and it’s about giving him clarity on what his job is and that’s to create and score goals. It was good for Oliver getting his first goals for the club, Timothy coming on and young Ewan Henderson who I believe is a big talent and it was a beautiful pass for Timothy to finish.”

With Tony Ralston out with ankle ligament damage, the Celtic manager revealed that Dedryck Boyata has missed the match with a groin problem but confirmed that Scott Bain’s selection signalled he is set to get a run of games ahead of Craig Gordon in goal.

“I’ve got two very good goalkeepers and I’m giving Scott a little run in the team because I know what Craig can do,” said Rodgers. “He also really helps the speed of our game because he gets it out quickly.”

Oran Kearney, whose St Mirren side slumped to the bottom of the table, bemoaned the poor defending which allowed Celtic to get an early lead and bemoaned the loss of the experienced Lee Hodson, who is facing “months rather than weeks” out with an ankle injury.

"Disappointing is probably the best word to describe it," said Hodson. "A lot was made of the last time we played, but playing Celtic away from home and playing at home is two different things. We came with a way of trying to play tonight, the manner of the first goal is very disappointing, just from people not doing a simple job. But the last thing I am going to be looking at is looking at scores. I can’t control what Dundee do, what Hearts and Hibs do."