Celtic ready to reward Manchester United and Arsenal target Victor Wanyama with new contract

Celtic is ready to reward Victor Wanyama with a new and improved contract in order to keep him away from a number of circling Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Arsenal.

The powerful defensive midfielder has been watched by the Red Devils and the Gunners as they look for options that could add steel to their ranks in the middle of the park, while Fulham has also been credited with holding an interest.

Big-spending QPR is the only Premier League club to have made an official offer for Wanyama – the bid arriving in the closing stages of the summer transfer window - but Mark Hughes’ side was unsuccessful with the approach.

The 21-year-old Kenya international has made a positive impression since signing for Celtic and scored in the club's 2-0 Scottish Premier League victory over Dundee at the weekend.

Wanyama joined the SPL champion from Belgian side Germinal Beerschot for just 1.1 million euros in the summer of 2011 but is already valued around the 11 million euro mark by the Bhoys.

His contract does not expire until 2015, which means there is no immediate pressure on Celtic, but the club is keen to keep the player happy and reward his rising importance within the squad by giving him a significant wage hike in an extended deal.

In the summer, noises from the player’s camp hinted that he may be willing to venture down south and try his luck in England but now the player appears to be keen on staying at Parkhead for the foreseeable future, with him enjoying the experience of playing in the Champions League.

“Do I see my future at Celtic? Yes, I do," Wanyama said. "I leave these things like contracts to the club and my agent but I’m really happy here and looking forward to staying for as many years as I can. All I do is concentrate on the football. Celtic is a big club and we are in the Champions League so I don’t think there is anywhere better.

“When you play in Europe, it is a bonus. It is easier to be seen everywhere around the world because everyone in the world is watching the Champions League. Celtic is a big club and I am always happy to play here and at the moment I am really happy."

The midfielder pointed to the influence of his family as one thing that could help determine what he does in his career.

"I talk to my parents a lot and they advise me to keep my head just on football and not think about anything else. That really helped me," he said. “When you look at the support from the fans and the atmosphere for the Champions League games, you cannot get better than it is here. It is perfect."

“Before the Benfica game was unreal. Standing in front of a 60,000 crowd and knowing it was live on television was great. The excitement gives you more energy to keep on going.”