It's starting to heat up, isn't it?

And Brendan Rodgers – who has been tirelessly on the hunt for quality since returning to Celtic 18 months ago – appeared keen to let his public know he's on the hunt for quality arrivals, and would loathe to lose his A-list performer. Answering a question surrounding Cameron Carter-Vickers being linked with Bayer Leverkusen, Rodgers said: “Listen, I haven't seen anything of that, to be honest. I suspect there will be interest in all our players and lots of gossip and speculation going about. But no, I think our idea is to improve our squad.”

But it was his next remark which caught the eye. Rodgers added: I think I always like to add goals to my teams in January where I can, to add that threat and that freshness to the squad. We were able to do that last January with Nicolas [Kuhn] and Adam [Idah], which was great for us. We'll look to do the same.

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"If I look at it now, 12 months on to where we were this time last year, we are in a really, really good place. However, we want to keep improving. So, we hope to be able to do that.”

Record Sport runs the rule on the latest on the Premiership runaway leaders and the players linked both in and out.

Carney Chukwuemeka

The Chelsea fringe man is described as "all action", but the reason he is nearing the Stamford Bridge exit door is there isn't enough of it to go around. Enzo Maresca has been effusive in his praise, however, he namechecked the England youth international as a candidate to leave alongside Ben Chilwell. Celtic fans, who have long called for their board to loosen the purse strings, have been left confused over who a player with a £40m release clause could be on Celtic's radar but there's a catch.

Chelsea are demanding the full £40m for Chukwuemeka but will listen to loan offers if their lofty fee isn't met. Celtic, likely one win away from the knockouts in the Champions League, would offer the former Aston Villa kid game time and exposure. Chukwuemeka can play both on the wing and as an attacking midfielder.

Luis Palma

A rather melodramatic headline emerged out of Honduras which claimed Luis Palma was "living through hell" in Glasgow, But if the lesser-spotted wide man is then no one told him. Palma, for all his inconsistent form in 2024, has remained a team-mate who cheers on his pals. And he made a beeline for several team-mates after their 4-0 win over St Johnstone on Sunday. The same outlet state Palma is nearing his Celtic end game, however, the 24-year-old appears happy to go out with a smile.

Alexandro Bernabei

He's the best left back in Brazil according to the experts and now Alexandro Bernabei is aiming to cash in after the season of his life. Internacional want their standout player back for keeps. But they won't break the bank for a player who Celtic value at around £7m. Their vice president Jose Bisol has made his club's stance clear, stating: "Alexandro Bernabei has settled into the club. He wants to stay at Internacional. But we are not going to be financially irresponsible. The club has financial limits and we laid them out to Celtic. It's up to them and I hope for a positive outcome."

Kieran Tierney

Celtic fans dreaming of Kieran Tierney rocking up to Ibrox on January 2 will be keeping a close eye on Arsenal's training base at London Colney this week. Arsenal take on Brentford away from home with the Bees aiming to give another rival a sting on home turf. Tierney is a long shot to earn any minutes, of course, but Celtic fans dreaming of a quick-fire reunion will be combing over the footage in hope the man they want will be packing his bags. Mikel Arteta's press conference on Hogmanay will be watched closely in both London and Glasgow.

Jota

The winger was beloved in Glasgow but the former Celtic standout has endured a torrid 18 months since leaving Parkhead to seal a £25m transfer to Al-Ittihad. Now at Rennes, Jota has been put on alert by his no-nonsense boss Jorge Sampaoli. He said: "We hope he can bring us some balance, but he is not yet in full possession of his resources. I need players who can make a continuous effort, both offensively and defensively, but players who can make a difference like him in one-on-one situations are very important for us. We need him to be fit, we need them to understand our model so he can make the difference."