---
title: "Celtic: Kieran Devlin issues worrying Christopher Jullien reply"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/kieran-devlin-jullien-injury-latest/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Celtic News"
published: "2021-11-27T11:05:04Z"
modified: "2021-11-27T11:05:04Z"
---

# Celtic: Kieran Devlin issues worrying Christopher Jullien reply

**Celtic journalist Kieran Devlin has expressed uncertainty about the return date of centre-back Christopher Jullien.**

### The lowdown

The Frenchman hasn’t played for the Hoops since their 3-0 win over Dundee United at the end of December 2020. He was forced off in that game after injuring his knee when colliding with the post (via [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55515287)).

Former Scotland boss Alex McLeish [has said](https://www.footballinsider247.com/jullien-return-massive-for-celtic-after-reveal-that-will-excite-the-fans-ex-manager/) it will be a ‘massive’ boost for Celtic whenever Jullien, [a treble winner in 2019/20](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/christopher-jullien/erfolge/spieler/201737), eventually makes his comeback.

Ange Postecoglou [said in late October](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK2ljdzbylc) that the 28-year-old would be back after the November international break, but there’s no sign of him as yet.

### The latest

In [The Athletic’s matchday discussion](https://theathletic.com/2975187/2021/11/24/celtic-score-leverkusen-bayer-europa-league/) surrounding Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Bayer Leverkusen, a supporter asked Devlin if there was ‘any indication when/if’ the defender would be back.

The fan ‘thought by now we would have seen something of Jullien in training’ or in a youth team game.

Devlin replied: “It just keeps being pushed back. Briefed multiple times this season that he’d be back within a few weeks and it just hasn’t happened. Not sure what the new estimated date is.”

### The verdict

Celtic initially expected to be without Jullien for a [period of four months](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK2ljdzbylc), but we’re now approaching a full calendar year of him being sidelined.

Devlin’s latest claim is worrying because it suggests that there may have been a setback, with the 28-year-old not able to meet the club’s revised timeline.

They were knocked out of the Europa League this week after a 3-2 defeat by Bayer Leverkusen, with Chris Sutton [acknowledging that](https://twitter.com/chris_sutton73/status/1463955348713312264) ‘defensively, Celtic have come up well short in Europe’.

It’s tempting to wonder whether they would have had enough to progress from their group with a fully fit Jullien, who was [included in their squad for the competition](https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/celtic-europa-league-squad-revealed-24921765) – a sure sign that the Hoops had banked on him returning to action by now.

**In other news, [this defender is open to signing for Celtic](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/celtic-transfer-rumours/carter-vickers-open-permanent-celtic-move/)**