QPR boss Mark Warburton claims contract talks for Celtic target Bright Osayi-Samuel are coming along nicely - delivering a blow to the Hoops' hopes of a deal.

Neil Lennon's men had been hoping to land the winger on a pre-contract this January with his current contract running out in the summer. Osayi-Samuel had been left out of the QPR squad for their recent game against Barnsley, prompting speculation that he had rejected an offer from the club.

But now Warburton, former Rangers manager, claims discussions are in a promising place despite recent talks of a hiccup. "The contract talks are moving the right way,” Warburton said. "I just want Brighty to be nice and clear about his football.

"He trained very well today and we’ll see how he is for the weekend."

Warburton admits the player's mindset had been altered by talk of interest from Celtic and other clubs down south. And he reckons Osayi-Samuel must be able to switch off from the noise off the field to ensure he gets back to his best.

"With any player, you just want them to concentrate on their football. When they’ve got other things going on it’s difficult for them at this level of the game. So it’s about making sure their head’s in the right place and I very much hope that’s the case at the weekend.

"The talks are going on and Brighty’s a very valuable player for us. As a manager you’ve got to pick your best squad, especially when you have one or two injuries and a very tight squad."

Head of recruitment at Parkhead, Gary Penrice, is believed to have recommended the player to Neil Lennon after having taken him to QPR back in 2017.

The 22-year-old has played eight times this season, scoring just once.