Celtic boosted by Johnston recovery but Araujo's season could be over
Celtic boss Martin O'Neill's squad has been boosted with right-back Alistair Johnston's return to training but fellow defender Julian Araujo may have played his last game for the club. Araujo has been on loan from Bournemouth since January but returned to his parent club to recover from a thigh issue, which has sidelined him for over a month, and has since suffered a setback. Johnston, who has been out since October, was progressing well in his return from a hamstring injury but his recovery was slowed down when he picked up an issue on international duty with Canada.
O'Neill has provided a positive update on the defender. "He trained with the team today, which was very encouraging," the Northern Irishman said. "I don't think he felt any ill effects.
He joined in, he joined in before and then he went and re-injured himself with the national side, but he is coming out well now so we would need him really, as soon as possible. "If he comes through today, a little bit of work that he did with the team and also the work he did on his own with the recuperative team, then next week would be hopefully a good week's training for him and who knows? "Julian re-injured himself under supervision at Bournemouth so that was a real blow.
"I've only found that out today so I don't think we will see him for the rest of the season. "I don't know what sort of time element it is for his World Cup aspirations, I don't know that, but certainly for us, I don't think we will see him again if it's the same injury that he has redone. " A third Celtic right-back, Colby Donovan, will be missing from Saturday's game against St Mirren with a hamstring injury and could also miss their Scottish Cup tie against the Buddies next week.
But O'Neill is crossing his fingers that the young defender won't be on the sidelines for too much longer. "Hopefully not too long," he added when asked for a time frame on Donovan's return. "We don't think so anyway.