Celtic injury news: Liel Abada update

Celtic forward Liel Abada’s concerns over sustaining a potential injury on international duty have ‘been removed’, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Initial concerns

The Hoops winger is currently facing an uncertain future in the Scottish Premiership following reports that Southampton are plotting a £10m approach with Ange Postecoglou’s side open to offers.

Regardless of speculation though, the 21-year-old’s impressive performances in Glasgow have continued and he received the call to go and represent Israel in their upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Kosovo and Switzerland.

On Monday, however, there was cause for concern after the news emerged that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines following initial scan results on a quad injury, though minds have now been firmly put at ease.

The Latest: Abada fitness update

According to Israel-based outlet Sport5, Abada is set to stage his return to action and his nation are hopeful that he will be available for their opening fixture on Saturday.

As quoted by The Daily Record, they said:

“Before the training, good news came from the direction of Liel Abada, who stretched his quadriceps muscle last night and abandoned the training.

“The fear of a muscle tear has been removed and now the player will try to return gradually with the goal of trying to qualify him for the match against Kosovo.”

The Bhoys star himself also delivered a personal update on his situation, stating: “I feel much better than yesterday.”

The Verdict: Boost for Postecoglou

Abada has been labelled an ‘underrated’ footballer at Celtic by journalist Josh Bunting and it’ll be a huge boost for Postecoglou to learn that he won’t be ruled out of action, especially as the all-important title run-in approaches.

The Petah Tikva native has clocked up 19 goal contributions in 41 appearances across all competitions so far this season and he’s currently averaging 3.55 shots per game, which just shows how many chances he creates and his success rate at successfully putting them away.

The Hoops attacker has also earned himself three man-of-the-match awards for his consistently high level of performance, highlighting the positive individual impact he can have on a side when given a run in the team.

Abada’s versatility to play on both the left and right flanks and at centre-forward will be another useful attribute for the boss and he will be glad to have him available in Celtic’s charge to secure a second consecutive league title.