Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers wants defensive reinforcements after Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki injuries
Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki have been ruled out for eight weeks; Reo Hatate will miss the first Old Firm game of the season, live on Sky Sports; Alistair Johnston will return for Celtic's Scottish Premiership game against St Johnstone on Saturday
Thursday 24 August 2023 16:04, UK
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers is searching for a new centre-back after Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki were ruled out for eight weeks.
Carter-Vickers went off halfway through Celtic's recent league win over Aberdeen with a hamstring issue and the problem is worse than first feared.
New signing Nawrocki pulled up with a similar problem at the end of the Viaplay Cup defeat at Kilmarnock on Sunday.
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Rodgers was already facing at least the same amount of time without Stephen Welsh after he underwent ankle surgery.
Ahead of Saturday's visit of St Johnstone the Celtic boss said: "It is obviously disappointing for us in terms of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Maik Nawrocki and Stephen Welsh, probably about eight weeks.
"Stephen Welsh had an operation just the other day so he has come through that well.
"The other two we were hopeful would come back sooner, but we sought further scans on them and it puts them probably about eight weeks from now."
When asked if he would look for reinforcements in that area ahead of next week's transfer deadline, Rodgers said: "I think we have to look at it, there's no doubt. It's an area that we are light on.
"When you are losing three players for that length of time, and knowing the number of games we will have and the importance of every game, then it's definitely something we have to look at."
The Hoops will also be without midfielder Reo Hatate for next weekend's Old Firm clash against Rangers, live on Sky Sports, after he suffered a calf tear in the game at Aberdeen.
Left-back Alistair Johnston will return to the squad for this weekend's game after recovering from an injury picked up in pre-season.
Celtic will be looking to get back to winning ways against the Scottish Premiership's bottom side after last weekend's Viaplay Cup defeat to Kilmarnock.
The loss was Rodgers' first domestic cup defeat at Celtic after winning 24 out of 24 in his first spell in Glasgow.
"I think what's important to understand, when you are trying to be successful, is that losing and failing in games is integral to becoming successful," Rodgers said.
"It was a disappointing result for us, we didn't do enough to win the game, but it's also something you have to have at a club this size, you have to have that mental strength and that mental toughness to cope with disappointing results then be ready to go again.
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