By Alan Hutton

22nd Oct, 2023 | 12:00pm

Maik Nawrocki set for extended spell on sidelines after Celtic latest - pundit

Maik Nawrocki is set for an extended spell on the sidelines at Celtic despite returning from injury.

Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Rangers defender Alan Hutton insisted there is no way Brendan Rodgers will replace Liam Scales, even if Nawrocki is fully fit.

Speaking to CelticTV (18 October), the manager confirmed that Nawrocki is “doing very well” and has been back in training for the last week.

Although it looked like Scales’ future may lie away from Parkhead in the summer, the (25-year-old) has been called upon to fill in whilst Rodgers deals with a number of injuries to his first team back line and has done an impressive job.

It seemed at the start of the season that Nawrocki and Cameron Carter-Vickers would be the go to partnership at the back but after both players picked up injuries, it was down to Scales to fill in.

When asked what Nawrocki’s role will be once he is back to full fitness, Hutton told Football Insider: “I think he is going to have to work hard to get his way back in.

“I do not think he comes in and is an automatic starter, I think that would be unfair to the likes of Scales.

“It is Carter-Vickers plus one, he is the main guy and I think at this moment in time Scales has done enough to show that he is in charge at this moment in time and others have to try and push him out.

“I think he will come into the squad and be in contention but I think Brendan Rodgers is very happy with the way that it is working at this moment in time.“

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