Brendan Rodgers has dealt Maik Nawrocki a further blow after his recent comments about young Celtic centre-back Dane Murray.
Nawrocki and Murray are firmly at the back of the queue when it comes to vying for a place as one of Celtic’s starting centre-backs.
2025 PFA Scotland Team of the Year star Cameron Carter-Vickers is the main man, with either Auston Trusty or Liam Scales taking the left-sided slot.
Nawrocki has played just four games for Celtic this season, with Rodgers clearly not a massive fan of the Pole who joined for £4.3m in 2023.
He was handed cameos against Falkirk and Raith Rovers in both domestic cup competitions before Rodgers was forced to play him in the last Glasgow derby versus Rangers.
That was because Scales and Trusty were injured, with Murray also out due to a knee problem.
Brendan Rodgers delivers Dane Murray admission
Nawrocki was given the starting nod as a result, but Rodgers has now recently confirmed that he was hoping to play Murray in the 3-2 defeat instead.
However, the Northern Irishman said Murray pulled up with an injury the day before the game and it meant he was forced into picking Nawrocki.
Rodgers told reporters as part of an injury update ahead of the Scottish Cup semi-final against St Johnstone: “Dane Murray was someone I was looking at for the Rangers game and playing.
“The day before the game, he had a wee sort of moment with his knee. So, we’re just assessing that and looking at that. So, he’ll be out as well. Apart from that, everyone’s okay.”
Nawrocki’s Celtic future is bleak
That’s a big blow for the 24-year-old former Legia Warsaw defender.
It should be stressed that Nawrocki’s future at Parkhead was already in big jeopardy – but Rodgers’ latest comments prove he’s right at the bottom of the current central defensive pecking order.
And that won’t please Celtic fans too much because they were encouraged by Nawrocki’s performance against Rangers despite the defeat.
He then started the following Premiership match against Hearts and helped keep a clean sheet as Celtic won 3-0 in Glasgow.
But it was back to the bench for Nawrocki against St Johnstone and Kilmarnock, with Trusty starting the former and Scales starting the latter.
Jim Duffy felt Nawrocki was ‘unfortunate’ to be dropped against the Perth Saints and feels Nawrocki has more presence than fellow defender Trusty.
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