STUART ARMSTRONG signed a new deal this morning keeping him at the club until 2019.

While this should be cause for celebration, and it is in a way BUT given his original contract ran out in 2018 I’m a little confused by it all, especially as it was rumoured he was ready to pen a new four-year-deal.

The new deal keeps him here for this season, but we’ll be right back to square one come next summer when he has only a year left to go again.

Brendan Rodgers must have been desperate to hold onto the midfielder to OK such a short deal.

What it basically means is – Stuart is happy to give us another season but doesn’t see himself here long-term. Given the manager is building the nucleus of a team it’s a bit troublesome that we have a player who seems to be so obviously looking past the club.

Maybe Rodgers will use this extra year to phase Armstrong out the team, using him strategically when he needs to. He is of course by no means guaranteed a start with the midfielder pool we have, but he will still be vital in the interim.

It’s a bitter sweet moment, I had hoped we’d see him sign a new deal and don’t get me wrong I’m glad he’s staying, it’s just disappointing we can’t plan for the future with any sort of certainty with regards to Stuart