Celtic transfer news bulletin as Luis Palma rubbishes exit claims and Giorgos Giakoumakis burns bridges again

Luis Palma has rubbished reports he wants to leave Celtic and has pledged his future to the club.

The Honduran winger only arrived last summer in a £3.5million switch from Greek side Aris. but reports emerged from his homeland - where he has returned to over the summer to tie the knot - that he was unhappy at losing his place towards the end of the season and was looking to move on from Parkhead.

Palma is due to rejoin Brendan Rodgers' squad ahead of a pre-season tour to the USA ahead of launching their Premiership title defence. And he insists he's fully committed to the Hoops and is targeting a big pre-season in order to hit the ground running, with World Cup qualification with Honduras also high on his agenda. "I have only been at Celtic for a year," he said. "I have four years left of my contract. I am focusing on the new season and getting back to the level I was at when I first arrived.

"It won't take much to get me back to that. The pre-season will be important for me because we want to become champions again, I want to work harder to ensure that happens again. This week the pre-season begins at Celtic, but I get extra days off because I was playing with the national team. I will join up with the team in the United States. My other main aim next season is to make sure Honduras get to the World Cup. We have a tough path and although many people say 'it's only against Cuba and Bermuda' they are full of players who play in the lower leagues of English football so it will be tough."

Meanwhile, Giorgos Giakoumakis is developing a pattern of slamming the league he's just moved on from. The Greek striker has left Atlanta Utd for Cruz Azul in Mexico - a move which netted the Premiership champions around £900,000 thanks to a sell-on clause.

But, just as he did with the Scottish top flight after departing, Giakoumakis has taken a swipe at MLS and the culture in which he claims losing is sometimes accepted. He said: “I was really excited; I really wanted to make it happen, and Cruz Azul showed me how much they wanted me, and that was a crucial factor for me to make my decision. Cruz Azul, for me, is a team that I think is a level higher than MLS. It is a team that is chasing records, chasing trophies and they try to win always, every single trophy. I love to work and play for these teams because the expectations are high, the motivation has to be always there and it’s not okay to lose. Sometimes, that’s a bad thing in the MLS. It’s okay to lose some games, and I hate it.”

The Hoops have an eye on the future and have handed a trial to Cliftonville teenager Shay Reid. The 15-year-old netted 36 times for the Belfast club's Under 16 and 18 teams. He will travel to Glasgow next month for a week's training as Celtic run the rule over the highly rated youngster.

Elsewhere, Alistair Johnston made his Copa America debut on Thursday night against reigning tournament champions Argentina. Johnston started and played 90 minutes, but Canada suffered a 2-0 Group A loss to the Argentinians. The 25-year-old was one of the few bright spots in Jesse Marsch’s squad.

After keeping Argentina off the scoreboard in the first half, Johnston and his Canadian teammates eventually were broken down. Julian Alvarez’s confident strike in the 49th minute gave Argentina a 1-0 lead. Substitute Lautaro Martinez sealed the win for Argentina two minutes from time.