Celtic midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi looked to be in good spirits at Lennoxtown today despite a recent training injury that has kept him out of the initial stages of the season.
Ideguchi was said by Ange Postecoglou to have suffered a ‘pretty nasty’ gash in his leg at the training centre a couple of weeks ago, which required multiple stitches.
He hasn’t been in either of the matchday squads against Aberdeen or Ross County and it’s unclear if he has returned to training or not. However, in footage posted by the club today, he was heavily involved in the squad’s UEFA media day.
Ideguchi could be seen laughing and joking in front of the camera before taking part in a combined photoshoot and interview session with his Japanese compatriots.
The former Gamba Osaka man has had a rough time of it since moving to Scotland, suffering an ankle injury in a Scottish Cup match against Alloa that kept him out for much of last season.
In pre-season he looked sharp, before this latest injury proved to be a further setback in his ambitions to make an impact at the Bhoys.
You get the sense that Postecoglou still thinks he can contribute well this season. He stated definitively that the club’s transfer plans wouldn’t be influenced by Ideguchi’s injury.
At the end of last season, he also namechecked the midfielder as someone who would play a more prominent role in 2022/23.
Hopefully, we see him back in training sooner rather than later. He could well be needed as the match schedule ramps up at the end of the month and until the World Cup.
In other news, Broadcast situation for Celtic support this weekend after Ross County TV blackout.
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