LEIGH GRIFFITHS may get the chance to relaunch his Celtic career against Partick Thistle this evening, as manager Neil Lennon revealed he is in no rush to see the striker leave the club.
The arrival of £3.5m striker Patryk Klimala this week seems to have pushed Griffiths further down the pecking order in attack, with speculation rife that Celtic would look to get the forward out on loan during January.
But Lennon dismissed those rumours out of hand yesterday as he stated that he sees Griffiths still having a role to play for Celtic this season.
“Everybody is speculating about Griff at the moment, but we aren't in any real rush to look at that,” Lennon said. “We want him to play.
“He had a good week in Dubai and has been training well this. So, Griff may start against Partick and I think he'd like to stay. He’s never made [clear] any intention that he would want to leave.
“He had a good week there like I say, and I think most of them would have got the benefit of a good week in Dubai and the break after the last game.
“They are all just itching to get back into it now.”
It is more likely that fellow striker Vakoun Issouf Bayo would be the one to go out of the club on a temporary basis this month in search of regular football.
“I’m not going to talk about players leaving or coming in, but Bayo has had a couple of long-term injuries and not really had the opportunity to show what he can do, so we’ll see on that one,” said Lennon.
Meanwhile, the Celtic manager hopes to be able to add midfielder Ismaila Soro to his squad pending the granting of a work permit, after confirming a £2m deal had been struck with Israeli club Bnei Yehuda for his transfer.
“The deal has been agreed and we’re just waiting on the paperwork being confirmed," he said. "I don’t know how long that will take, but hopefully we’ll get him in.
“We’re working on [the work permit] at the minute, that’s what is going to be the delay I think.”
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