Tom Rogic
Tom Rogic has caught the eye of Leeds manager Steve Evans with his impressive performances for Celtic this season Getty

Tom Rogic looks set to stay with Celtic after Ronny Deila confirmed the club's intention to agree on a new contract. The Australian attacking midfielder has become a first-team regular in 2015/16 following an underwhelming start to his career in Scottish football that saw him spend the final four months of last season on loan with Melbourne Victory.

After making only a handful of appearances for the Bhoys in the aftermath of a £400,000 ($575,000) move from Central Coast Mariners in January 2013, Rogic has featured 26 times this term and scored his sixth goal in all competitions during a 2-2 draw with Hearts in December.

The player's encouraging form for Celtic has led to sustained interest in his services during the opening weeks of the January transfer window. According to the Yorkshire Evening Post, the 23-year-old has emerged as one of Leeds boss Steve Evans' key targets, with the Championship outfit believed to value him at the £1m mark.

Rogic's current contract is due to expire in June 2017, but Deila has reiterated his desire to keep him at Celtic Park beyond that date.

"We want to sign a new contract with Tom and extend his stay here," he was quoted as saying by the Scottish Daily Mail. "He's in a good place right now and has played a lot of games this season.

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"Last year, I didn't know who he was – he had been loaned out and had operations. Now he has taken his chance and he has a lot of potential and development within him. That's why we want to keep him. He has some things that are very hard to get. He has unbelievable technique and is very creative."

He later added: "Everyone is for sale – it depends on how much money you're talking about. But Tom is not in that category, no."

Despite his side sitting 12 points adrift of the top six following a last-gasp defeat at Ipswich Town on 12 January, Evans has maintained an ambitious approach to his first mercato since succeeding Uwe Rosler in October.

Leeds have already extended the loan of Sunderland midfielder Liam Bridcutt until the end of the season, while winger Mustapha Carayol has joined from Middlesbrough. Premier League outcasts such as Jack Grealish and Peter Crouch have also been linked with moves to Elland Road.

Deila, however, does not believe a move to English football's second tier would represent a step in the right direction for any of his best players. Celtic are currently three points clear of Aberdeen with a game in hand as they bid for a fifth consecutive title.

"I don't think any Championship club is a step up from Celtic," he said. "They should go straight to the Premier League if they are going to go from here.

"If you look at the size of the club it's not a big step up but the level is bigger and the intensity and the attention on that league is much bigger, and the money of course. The Championship is not a step up from Celtic, in my opinion."