Dedryck Boyata returns to Celtic training next week, says the manager.
Brendan Rodgers has told The Record that Celtic defender Dedryck Boyata will be back in full training next week.
Boyata has missed Celtic’s last three games with an abductor problem.
There had been suggestions that the Belgian centre-back could miss the entire month of February and, crucially, the first leg with Valencia in the last 32 of the Europa League.
But Rodgers has rubbished that theory and revealed that Boyata will be training with the first team from next week.
He told The Record: “The plan, all being well with the last couple of days of rehab, is for him to train with the reserves this weekend. And then he will hopefully train with the first team next week.”
This is brilliant news for Celtic. With Filip Benkovic out until March, Boyata’s importance grows significantly. It would have been disastrous for the Hoops had both of their first-choice central defenders been missing.
That would have meant that Kristoffer Ajer and Jozo Simunovic would have had to hold the fort, and considering Ajer is only 20 and Simunovic is prone to errors, that wouldn’t have been brilliant for Rodgers.
The Bhoys, who visit St Johnstone tomorrow, sit top of the Premiership.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
