New Celtic signing Marco Tilio will miss the start of the season through injury.
Brendan Rodgers has revealed the club were aware the 21-year-old winger from Melbourne City would be arriving in Glasgow with an existing issue acquired on international duty with Australia. The Celtic manager revealed to broadcast media on Thursday that Mikey Johnston faces three months on the sidelines with a back problem, Alistair Johnston could be out for eight weeks after undergoing ankle surgery, but that Cameron Carter-Vickers was on schedule to return for the new campaign. And while Tilio will also not be available for August’s Premiership kick-off, Rodgers has no doubt he will settle in well over time.
"Marco will be out for a few weeks,” said Rodgers. “He had an issue when we signed him and we knew of it. He will miss the start of the season as he got injured playing for Australia.
"He's an exciting winger who has done well. He fits the profile and when he settles in, he will do very well.”
Tilio’s arrival had softened the impact of Jota departing for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad in a deal worth £25million. Celtic will now look to further strengthen in that area and, with the Portuguese reportedly now picking up a wage worth £192,000-a-week, Rodgers admitted the money offered was ‘very difficult’ for Jota to turn down.
"Jota was a great servant for Celtic and he enjoyed his two years here,” said the manager. "There were so many great moments and he loved his time at the club, He has been given a life-changing offer and for a young guy at 24, when you see the numbers it's a very difficult one for him to turn down.
"So we respect that. You see the number of players who are going to Saudi Arabia to play and over the course of the next three to five years, that will continue to grow,
"They have a plan in place to make it a really competitive league. In order to do that they will want to bring in good managers and really good players. I think that will continue to grow.”
