Brendan Rodgers has provided a concerning triple injury update on Celtic stars Cameron Carter-Vickers, Daizen Maeda, and Alistair Johnston ahead of their next fixture.
Defender Carter-Vickers faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines, with the American centre-back expected to be out for up to five months after suffering a setback at the end of Celtic’s Europa League win over Sturm Graz on Thursday.
Forward Daizen Maeda remains unavailable, having been out for several weeks with a combination of hamstring and back injuries. Meanwhile, Alistair Johnston, who made his first start since returning from injury during that midweek clash, also picked up another issue and subsequently missed the defeat to Hearts.
Speaking to BBC Sport Scotland, Rodgers delivered an update on the trio — and the news will come as a blow for Celtic supporters.
“With Daizen, we’ll see how he is. He’ll join training tomorrow, but we have to be cautious,” Rodgers explained.
“Cameron Carter-Vickers will undergo surgery tomorrow. As I mentioned earlier in the week, he could be out anywhere from three to five months depending on his recovery.”
“As for Ali, it’s not as serious as we initially thought, but he won’t be available immediately.”
While Maeda is set to rejoin training, Rodgers confirmed he won’t be risked for the upcoming Falkirk clash, leaving the manager short of options once again.
When asked about potential reinforcements in the January transfer window, Rodgers played down speculation, insisting his focus remains on improving the current squad.
“That’s still a bit away,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of games before then. We had opportunities in the summer but couldn’t take them. Right now, the focus has to be on consistency and improving our level of performance.”
The update leaves Celtic fans anxious as the team faces an uphill battle to close the gap on Hearts, who now sit eight points clear at the top of the Premiership table.
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