As the speculation has ramped up a notch over the last week, Jason Denayer has watched with both interest and a little trepidation.

The 19-year-old central defender, currently on season-long loan deal from Manchester City has his own selfish reasons for looking at just who is milling around.

He himself has been linked with a move to Ajax and he still maintains a strong will to succeed in the Premiership.

But it is the interest that Virgil van Dijk has attracted that has also unnerved him slightly.

The Dutch defender was watched by Arsenal as Celtic strolled to a 2-0 win over Hamilton Accies on Saturday afternoon and it is inevitable that he will head to a bigger league, with the only question being whether that will be in January or at the end of the season.

Celtic have insisted that they will not be selling in the current window, and with the player still under contract it seems fair to suggest that he would still command a decent fee in this summer.

Certainly, Denayer is hoping that he and Van Dijk get the opportunity to see out their partnership between now and the end of the season.

"There has been lots of people asking questions about Kris [Commons] and lots of speculation about Virgil too," said Denayer.

"From my own point of view and that of the team I hope that Virgil is here until the end of the season because he is a strong player. He has been fantastic with me.

"We are friends off the park too and on it we have developed a very good understanding.

"We speak often of football but I have not asked him about what he will do.

"It is up to him and the club to sort that out but I do want him to stay.

"No team wants to see any of their players leave and hopefully he will stay until the summer.

"He has helped me a lot on the pitch. He has a good understanding of the game and we communicate well. I think we got an understanding together very quickly.

Denayer is due to return to Manchester City this summer, although Deila has already considered trying to keep the player on another season-long loan deal.

It was a similar system that worked with former goalkeeper Fraser Forster who spent two seasons on-loan at the club before signing permanently, although Denayer has made no secret that his ambition is to play in one of Europe's top leagues.

Ajax have kept tabs on him while Manuel Pellegrini is another whom the Belgian is keen to impress.

And to that end, he has set his sights on the forthcoming games against Inter Milan and Rangers to show the level he believes he is capable of performing at.

Having just returned to the starting line-up following injury - the teenager was sidelined for almost two months with a foot injury - Denayer is looking to get himself up to match speed before the crucial month of February rolls around.

"I have to get to a certain standard and playing against players on that calibre can only help me," he said.

"I have enjoyed being at Celtic and it has been positive for me to play in the first-team this season.

"But I still think that I can keep learning and getting better. The game on Saturday was my first game for almost two months because of my foot injury so it will take me some time to get back to fitness and feel like I am at my best.

"It is important for me to try and use games like the one against Rangers and Inter Milan to show that I can handle the pressure.

"They are big games with a lot of interest in them and I hope that I can do well in them because I think I have to prove that I can perform to that kind of standard.

"The next few weeks will give me a chance to try and ensure I am going into them fully fit.

"These are the games where people are watching. They want to see not only how you compete against good players but also how you cope with the pressure and the atmosphere and a game where there is a lot at stake.

"I want to show people that I can be trusted to play at that kind of level."

Celtic closed the gap on Aberdeen to just two points at the weekend with their victory at New Douglas Park - and still have two games in hand - but Denayer has welcomed the competition that has come from Pittodrie this term.

"It has been good for us to have that pressure," he said. "It helps to know that you can't afford to slip. It is pressure but it is good pressure.

"It means we are going into games knowing that we have to play to our best and that helps push us."