Whether they like it or not Dedryck Boyata will dominate the build up to Thursday’s Europa League play-off tie with Suduva.
The defender is expected to be in the squad that flies out to Lithuania on Wednesday with the prospect of whether he plays or not sure to be first up when Brendan Rodgers faces the media.
A week ago as he prepared his side to face AEK Athens the Celtic boss said that his first choice central defender wasn’t injured- but was hundreds of miles away in Glasgow as his team-mates prepared for one of the matches that shapes their season.
After training with the youth squad Boyata is back with the first team with the venue for the Suduva tie screening the 27-year-old from the anger of the Celtic support.
CLICK HERE for the XI to see off Suduva
That anger isn’t about missing out on an influential player in Athens, it’s about a player that few rate highly who seems to think that he is more important than the club.
There are ways to engineer a transfer, far far better players have left Celtic in the past but all parties will be hoping for a smooth departure before the transfer window closes- certainly smoother than the last fortnight.
Away from Boyata, Rodgers has a play-off tie to get through and two matches that should restore some confidence after a turbulent start to the season.
No more dramas are required, the full squad have been through tougher tests before with no excuses for failing to make it through to the group phase of the Europa League.