Jozo Simunovic facing six weeks out with injury

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Celtic defender Jozo Simunovic faces around six further weeks out with injury, according to the Scottish Sun.

The paper report that the defender, 25, recently underwent an arthroscopy procedure on his knee. He will now have to rest and recover with a first-team appearance highly unlikely before the start of November.

Simunovic’s injury, coupled with Nir Bitton’s hamstring problem, means that Neil Lennon is down to the bare bones with some very big matches on the horizon.

The Hoops have Rennes on Thursday night, with Cluj and Lazio soon to follow, while there’s also a Betfred Cup quarter-final derby clash against Partick Thistle and tough league matches at the likes of Livingston and Hibernian.

Is Simunovic injury really a big deal?

We currently have Kristoffer Ajer and Christopher Jullien as our two fit centre-backs. Beyond that, Lee O’Connor is an option while Hatem Abd Elhamed could also be moved into the centre from his more natural right-back.

That cover means that we’re not at the disaster stage yet but we could soon be if either Ajer or Jullien were to pick up knocks.

Many fans felt that another central-defender was needed during the summer but the failure to get Jack Hendry off the wage bill probably dictated that we couldn’t sign one. The former Dundee man is also an option to fill in if needs be but you get the impression that will be a last resort measure for Neil Lennon.

Celtic fans will just be keeping their fingers crossed for no more defensive injuries over the next six weeks while Simunovic is sidelined.