Arne Engels admits he has held talks with Brendan Rodgers over his disappointing amount of minutes for Celtic this season.
The club's record signing, brought in for £11 million from Bundesliga side Augsburg last summer, has only started one Premiership game and it came when Rodgers heavily rotated his side for the win over Livingston.
The 21-year-old was also benched for both legs of the failed Champions League play-off attempt against Kairat Almaty.
New signing Benjamin Nygren has been stealing the limelight as the attackng force in the centre of midfield and has been impressing so far, making it even more difficult for Engels to get in.
The Belgian isn't shying away from how gutted he is and admits it has been tough to be sidelined.
He said: "Yes, 100 per cent. Of course, you should be disappointed because I think I can add something to the team.
"That's what you need to have in mind also, that you want to bring something to the team.
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"I'm trying to do my best every time in training and when I'm coming in trying to affect the game and trying to do my best.
"I'm hoping that I will get some more minutes and I'm working for that.
"I'm really doing hard work to get into the team and hopefully I will."
Engels also revealed he has spoken to Rodgers about his lack of game time. But he isn't about to cause any problems and knows it is down to him to convince the manager to start picking him in the XI again.
He added: "Yes, of course. But everybody knows it also a bit from themselves that they just need to work hard and maybe be a bit patient or something.
"But I think it's up to me to show in those minutes that I'm getting that I need to be in that starting 11 and I really want to.
"So I'm hoping to help the team a lot more in the upcoming games.”
