Jonathan Afolabi provides Celtic fans with positive injury update

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Jonathan Afolabi’s injury update today was a more positive one for the Celtic support.

The Republic of Ireland under-21 international signed for the Hoops from Southampton in the summer. He came with a promising reputation, and has plied his trade with the reserve team this season.

However, Afolabi picked up an injury after being called up for his country’s under-21 squad earlier this month. Ahead of games against Italy and Iceland respectively, Afolabi failed to make an appearance after collecting the knock.

But now it appears as though he’s finally close to a return. Despite still being sidelined, the striker took to his Instagram story to provide Celtic supporters with an update on his condition.

The striker stated on his image that he was “buzzing” and that he’s “nearly back fit”. It’s a big boost to the reserve side who will be looking to make their mark in the Reserve Cup and the Glasgow Cup this season.

Is there a window of opportunity for Afolabi at some stage?

Afolabi may also just be peering through the first-team window and noticing a gap he could potentially fill.

Neil Lennon today announced that Vakoun Issouf Bayo had picked up a knock. With Leigh Griffiths also not ready to return, the Hoops still only have Odsonne Edouard available for selection.

It doesn’t matter whether Afolabi has made enough of an impact in the reserve squad. Celtic NEED to have two strikers available. If anything happens to Edouard, we would be playing a dangerous game trying to play a false nine role.

We’ve generally been lucky with regards to knocks to Odsonne, however. So it shouldn’t lead to Neil Lennon needing to take drastic action. But regardless, we have to cover all bases, and having Afolabi in the squad at least provides us with another natural striker.

He needs to return from injury firstly, of course. It could be the case that Bayo is back before Afolabi, and that would close the curtain on that window Afolabi could’ve spotted.

But there’s no denying that, if he does make an impact with Stephen McManus and Tommy McIntyre’s reserve squad, there’s a position there for him to go and seize. It’s just a shame that he remains out at a time where he could’ve been earning a rare call-up to the first-team squad.