Ronny Deila is optimistic that Hoops skipper Scott Brown could make a return to the Celtic first-team sooner than anticipated.

The midfielder has been missing since November after damaging knee ligaments and the expected prognosis was that he would be out of until mid-February.

Brown resumed running this week and Deila is hopeful that the influential Scotland internationalist could return to the fold sooner than that.

“It is unbelievably positive for us,” said Deila when he explained that the player was running again at Lennoxtown. “I think we have done well without Scott but everyone knows how important as a player and as a person he is to the club and the group.

“He is smiling and we are smiling when he is out running. He is like an 18-year-old boy when he runs and hopefully he can progress a little bit quicker than we hoped. Things seem positive but there is still a little bit to go.

“We were looking at the middle of February but we will see how he progresses.

“Scott is a really important person in the group and in the club.

“He’s here every day in training and he is at every game as well.

“Scott has a positive effect on everyone, but his biggest influence is on the pitch and we look forward to getting him back.

“His body heals very quickly and hopefully that will be the case this time.”

Meanwhile, Deila continues to work in order to bolster Celtic’s squad in the current window but he was tight-lipped on a move linking him with 19-year-old Manchester City youth midfielder Bersant Celina.

The Norwegian was a youngster at Stromsgodset when Deila was manager and it has been reported that a meeting has taken place between the player and the Celtic manager and assistant manager, John Collins.

Celina made his debut for the Premiership side in the FA Cup last weekend but it is anticipated that he will head out on loan for the remainder of the season.

“I know his name comes up because we have been at the same club before but I won’t comment on individual names,” said Deila.

Meanwhile, Kristoffer Ajer and Romanian right-back Andrei Peteleu spent a week on loan at the club last week but it remains to be seen whether or not there is an offer put in for either player.

“We will decide in January whether we will do something or not,” said Deila. “We will have to wait and see.

“The most important thing now is what we get in. It always takes some time and we need to be patient.

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“Andrei went home after a week and there is a decision to be made on him too.

“He was ok. I didn’t get to see as much of him as I did Ajer but we have to compare him to the other options we have here.”

Meanwhile, Deila has re-affirmed that Celtic will look to tie up Tom Rogic amid reports of an offer from Leeds United from the player. And the Norwegian has revealed that the Aussie midfielder thought his time was up at Celtic.

“We want to resign Tom,” said Deila. “He has made great progress and we see a lot of potential in him. He can get much better but he needs time.

“He was frustrated last year and he thought he was finished at the club but we told him that we believed in him, that he would get another chance, and he has shown his quality. He still has things to work on.”

Dedryck Boyata is fit and available for Friday’s game at Tannadice against Dundee United while Stuart Armstrong is also fit following a back complaint.