STEFAN SCEPOVIC is in danger of dropping off the radar at Celtic.

But Hoops manager Ronny Deila remains confident he can be a success at Parkhead and refuses to even consider allowing the Serbian striker to leave.

Spanish clubs are monitoring the situation closely and are ready to make their move to take the former Sporting Gijon hitman on loan.

But Deila insisted: "That is not an option. I'm not interested in that. Stefan has a future here. His chance will come."

It is important for Deila that he takes it when it does.Scepovic is the manager's only purchase since he took over in the summer, with £2.2million having been paid out for his services.

But the striker was not even listed among the subs for Sunday's Scottish Cup win over Hearts.

He was an unused sub in the previous three games -against Salzburg, Dundee and Aberdeen - after making a rare start in Romania against Astra Giurgiu.

In contrast, John Guidetti who also joined the club at the 11th hour - and then some - as the transfer window was about to close has proved much more successful than the Serb, banging in his 11th goal in 12 appearances at the weekend.

The Hoops are now trying to pull out all the stops to make the Swede's loan signing permanent. But this does not mean they have given up on Scepovic, and Deila continues to back him to make his mark at Celtic.

"It's been tough competition for him," said the manager. "But, again, every player has been through tough times.

"Leigh Griffiths has been through tough times, and we've been working hard with him. Now Leigh is being rewarded for all the hard work."

Indeed, Griffiths got the nod ahead of Scepovic to start against Salzburg last week, adding further fuel to the speculation the player whose CV shows he rarely spends more than a year at any club - Celtic is the 24 year-old's 11th club - may not be about to break that pattern.

Deila believes Scepovic's nomadic life is behind him and explained: "Stefan had been loaned out in the past because he needed experience. But this is different because he was sold to us. He was wanted by Sporting Gijon to stay, but we wanted him and bought him.

"It's way too early to talk about whether it has been good or not. We will see after the season is over."

Deila does offer some mitigation for Scepovic's struggle to make any real impact in his first three months here.

"If you see players who you bring in from south Europe to Britain, it takes time for them to settle, sometimes at least six months to get into the environment and understand it," said the patient manager.

"Stefan will come, though. Of course he is impatient. He wants things to happen now. But he has to adapt to the way we play and train.

"His chances will come. With him, or Leigh, or the other players, you have to take your chance when you get it."

With only two goals in his 10 appearances, Scepovic has not done that.

But Deila remains convinced there is a goals return to be had for their investment and continued: "You move to a new country, with a new language and new people. It takes time.

"Everything is new and then you add the football. Spanish football is different to here. It can be like another game.

"Then there is the training and getting to know the other people around the club and feeling safe. The first time you go to work at a new place, you have to learn about being there.

"It was the same for me when I joined the club. I had to know everyone and wondered where to start.

"We have to make the environment as clear as possible for people, and also make it warm so they adapt quickly."