Michael Gannon of the Daily Record has claimed that Reo Hatate will be out of action until the new year with a torn hamstring.
The midfielder suffered an injury in the opening minutes of the 2-2 draw against Hibs that forced him out of Saturday’s 0-0 draw away to Hibs.
At his media conference on Friday Brendan Rodgers was unable to give a timeline on the midfielders return from injury with Paulo Bernardo starting his first match of the season on Saturday.
Covering an interview with Greg Taylor in the Daily Record after the draw with Hibs Gannon includes a throwaway line of:Celtic are set to be without Reo Hatate until the New Year after the midfielder tore his hamstring against Atletico.
No detail has previously been given on the nature of the injury or the length of the lay off.
If it is until the new year it will be a massive blow for Celtic who had settled into a midfield trio of Hatate, Callum McGregor and Matt O’Riley with all three signing new contracts this year.
David Turnbull and Tomoki Iwata are other options open to Rodgers but neither can be described as a like for like replace ment for Hatate.