Rodgers reveals friendly plan for injured star
Soccer Football - Scottish Premiership - Celtic v Aberdeen - Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland, Britain - July 31, 2022 Celtic players in a huddle before the match REUTERS/Russell Cheyne
Celtic are looking to arrange a Closed Doors match specifically for Reo Hatate.
The midfielder has only started four SPFL matches this season and played 20 minutes of club football since the end of October.
After coming off the bench to play against St Mirren on January 2 Hatate flew out for international duty at the Asian Cup but returned early with two injured calf’s
In recent days there has been upbeat reportS on Hatate’s fitness including images from training sessions with his team-mates at Lennoxtown.
Asked about arranging a friendly for Hatate, Rodgers told The Sun:
That’s the plan. We want to get minutes into Reo and push him on. He will be huge for us. We’ll get some of the players working here, have a game and get some of them up to speed.
Cameron Carter-Vickers could be involved in that friendly with the defender suffering a number of injuries this season to restrict his appearances.
After starting every SPFL match this season Callum McGregor has missed Celtic’s last three matches but seems to be pencilled in for a return to action away to Livingston on March 31.
The plastic surface at the Tony Macaroni Arena will be a big factor as the comeback plans are put together as the clock ticks towards a pivotal SPFL date at Ibrox on April 7.