Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has revealed that Moussa Dembele could be sidelined until early September with a hamstring injury.
The 21-year-old suffered with a similar problem towards the end of last season but returned to feature in both legs of Celtic's Champions League qualifying triumph over Linfield.
However, the in-demand striker is now expected to miss the start of the new Scottish Premiership season, which begins on August 5 when Celtic take on Hearts.
"It could be to the beginning of September. It looks like Moussa may well be out for the whole of the campaign, this European [qualifying] campaign so we have to adapt," Rodgers told reporters.
"That was the sort of diagnosis, really. It's just unfortunate, really. It happens. Throughout the course of the season, unfortunately for those players with that speed and strength, there are always hamstring niggles.
"We saw it last year with Moussa, we saw it with James Forrest, we saw it with Scott Sinclair, we saw it with Patrick Roberts when Pat was here. Nothing we can do. We have to heal, work hard to get back as quick as he can, knowing that it's going to be a real long season for us."
Dembele scored 32 goals to help fire Celtic to the domestic treble last season.
Barney Corkhill
