The Daily Record is reporting Cameron Carter-Vickres as being in contention for a place in Celtic’s SPFL opener at home to Ross County on August 5.
Straight after the Scottish Cup semi-final victory at Hampden on April 30 Ange Postecoglou announced that the defender wouldn’t play again this season, after undergoing knee surgery a timeline of around 3-4 months was placed on his return.
Carter-Vickers was in the Celtic squad that flew out to the Algarve today but that fact alone can’t be over examined, last season Callum MvGregor flew with the first team squad to Sydney without any prospect of playing in either of the two games arranged.
Reading between the lines the Record reports:
Brendan Rodgers has been handed a huge pre-season boost with Cameron Carter-Vickers hooking up with the squad in Portugal.
And the Hoops boss could even have the big defender back in the side ahead of schedule for the Premiership kick-off against Ross County. The US World Cup star is recovering from knee surgery after missing the last month of the season to go under the knife.
Club chiefs originally pencilled Carter-Vickers in to return towards the end of August, but it is understood the 25-year-old is making solid progress and is targeting the league opener at the start of next month.
The centre back was one of the stars of the season under Ange Postecoglou and is expected to be a vital man with Rodgers at the helm. Celts start their campaign at home to the Staggies but there are several big matches coming thick and fast in the early weeks of the new term.
Being involved on the grass with his team-mates is the next step in the rehab of Carter-Vickers, so far he hasn’t been spotted outdoors in the training clips from Lennoxtown.
Celtic have friendlies arranged for July 19 and 22 plus August 1, getting some playing time in for the former Spurs defender before the visits to Aberdeen on August 13 and Ibrox on September 3 will be the full signs of recovery for Carter-Vickers.
