Brendan Rodgers keeps hold of Celtic pair Craig Gordon and Moussa Dembele

CELTIC manager Brendan Rodgers emerged from the January transfer window with his team intact after Chelsea’s interest in Moussa Dembele and Craig Gordon came to nothing.

Celtic stood firm as Chelsea attempted to prise Scotland goalkeeper Gordon to Stamford Bridge and neither the club nor Dembele encouraged the Premier League leaders to follow up their admiration of the France Under-21 striker.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte dismissed rumours of a £30million-plus bid as “speculation” while Dembele delivered an emphatic message to Celtic fans on social media that he was staying after a flight to London for a scan on his knee injury had briefly sent some into panic.

Rodgers, as expected, could not add to earlier January signing Eboue Kouassi on deadline day but there was some activity as Efe Ambrose tried to sort a loan to Blackburn that would spell the end of his time in Glasgow. The Scottish Football Association confirmed the paperwork was in order at their end but Rovers were yet to announce the deal had been rubber-stamped by the English authorities.

Celtic also loaned goalkeeper Leo Fasan to Port Vale but Motherwell’s interest in Nadir Ciftci failed to come to fruition, which meant Scott McDonald was denied a move to Western Sydney Wanderers after scoring in a 2-1 Ladbrokes Premiership win over Ross County.

The Steelmen released defender Louis Laing and lined up a deal for free agent Stephen Pearson, while confirming they had rejected two offers for Louis Moult, one from England and one from abroad.

Neither Aberdeen, Hearts nor Rangers signed anyone on deadline day but the latter sold goalkeeper Matt Gilks to Wigan for an undisclosed fee.

Inverness, Kilmarnock and Dundee each brought in two players.

Billy McKay linked up with Caley Thistle in time to play in a 3-0 defeat to Hamilton, who had also tried to sign him and other strikers without success. McKay was joined in signing a loan deal by Celtic defender Jamie McCart while Lonsana Doumbouya left for Austrian top-flight side SKN St Polten.

Kilmarnock also completed two loan deals – bringing in Conor Sammon from Hearts and 19-year-old Charlton forward Josh Umerah. Scott Boyd signed an 18-month contract after making his loan move from Ross County a longer-term arrangement.

Dundee signed former Motherwell striker Henrik Ojamaa on loan from Go Ahead Eagles while bringing in former Ross County midfielder Marc Klok from Oldham. Yordi Teijsse was loaned to German side Wuppertaler SV.

Thistle allowed midfielder Declan McDaid to join Ayr and secured 24-year-old Crawley winger Jason Banton on loan.

St Johnstone were forced into the transfer market late on to sign 19-year-old right-back Clive Smith on loan from Preston after Ally Gilchrist had a setback in his bid to overcome a groin problem.

There were a number of development loan moves from Premiership clubs including Kilmarnock goalkeeper Devlin Mackay (Berwick), Motherwell defender Luke Watt (East Fife), Hamilton defender Jordan McGregor (Airdrie) and Hearts forwards Dario Zanatta (Queen’s Park) and Robbie Buchanan (Cowdenbeath).