Report: Rodgers hoping Marvin Compper will be fit for Celtic Champions League qualifiers
Marvin Compper is finally ready to return from injury in time for the Champions League qualifiers, according to a report.
The Scottish Sun claims that he will make his comeback in a friendly in Austria next week.
The 33-year-old centre-back joined from RB Leipzig for £1million in January but didn't make his Celtic debut until March through injury.
He played 83 minutes in the Scottish Cup game against Morton, but then didn't play again for the rest of the season.
Brendan Rodgers is hopeful he will be ready for the Champions League qualifiers, starting with the game against Alashkert in Armenia on July 10.
Football Insider verdict:
Compper's move to Celtic has been a nightmare so far. It all started when he joined, as he picked up a calf injury in the winter training camp in Dubai. After finally making his debut in March he was sidelined again and wasn't seen for the rest of the season. Fans were wondering if that was it for the 33-year-old centre-back, but it looks like he's ready for pre-season, which could be a huge blessing for Rodgers. He's got Dedryck Boyata, Mikael Lustig and Cristian Gamboa out at the World Cup in Russia and needs all the defensive options he can muster to get through the tricky Champions League qualifiers. Compper will be rusty and the aim will be to get him up to match fitness by the first qualifier in July, and his comeback trail starts next Wednesday against SK Vorwarts Steyr. Celtic then play Bohemians Prague, Sparta Prague and Shamrock Rovers on July 7 before the qualifier against Alashkert on July 10. Celtic fans will be watching the friendlies through their fingers and hoping that Compper's injury hell is behind him.
In other Celtic news, Brendan Rodgers should use the Hoops' upcoming pre-season friendlies as an experiment.