Reo Hatate and Cameron Carter-Vickers injury blows for Celtic

Celtic face being without Reo Hatate for six weeks while Cameron Carter-Vickers is also set for another lay-off, manager Brendan Rodgers has said.

Midfielder Hatate suffered another leg muscle problem playing for Japan at the Asian Cup – his fourth similar injury in the past 12 months. He has only had 19 minutes of action for Celtic since October.

“It looks like he has actually done both calves, from what I have seen, so he is probably going to be five to six weeks,” Rodgers said.

“Another part of this season where we have had no luck from an injury perspective to our top players. He will be back very soon and we will start treatment and get him back as soon as we can.”

The Celtic manager also confirmed he had prevented Gustaf Lagerbielke moving on loan after Carter-Vickers experienced further aggravation of recent injury problems after last weekend’s win over Ross County.

The centre-back has suffered several lay-offs this term with a hamstring problem after missing pre-season amid his rehabilitation from knee surgery.

“The medical team are saying probably around three weeks,” Rodgers said.

Hatate’s injury did not prevent Celtic selling David Turnbull to Cardiff on deadline day and Rodgers explained that was a different circumstance to his defensive situation.

“It goes back to the summer, knowing where David was at in his thinking,” he said.

“Obviously he was in the last year of his contract so I felt it was best for us and for him to get out and play.

“He has done well here. It hasn’t worked out quite how he wanted it to, but he is a good guy, he worked very hard and now he will have the chance to have a permanent place to play.”