By Craig Swan
Reo Hatate is raring to go and ready for Celtic鈥檚 pre-season push. And Parkhead boss Brendan Rodgers has also given a hugely-positive fitness update on key star Cameron Carter-Vickers. Rodgers鈥 international stars are being reintegrated into the group after the summer break. Hatate finished last term using crutches on the Celtic Park pitch for Trophy Day having sustained a knee injury at Aberdeen. The Japanese star鈥檚 issue kept him out of the Scottish Cup Final loss to the Reds, but, at that time of the setback, Rodgers cited a potential return for the pre-season campaign and that has come to fruition. Rodgers confirmed Hatate is good to go as he said: 鈥淵es. It was just a shame for him. I鈥檇 given him an extra few days, come back in and he鈥檒l be fine.鈥 Carter-Vickers is also back on the training pitch after a small operation in the summer to deal with a cartilage issue. The American defender stayed out of his country鈥檚 busy international schedule and the decision has been proven shrewd with the 27-year-old back in work. Rodgers said: 鈥淗e had some issues around the end of last season. We decided this was really important for him. “He needed that, to get the operation. We knew then the recovery time would just be the week or so. He鈥檇 miss a week. But he鈥檚 back working again and, hopefully, be ready for the next few weeks.鈥 Winger James Forrest is also set for a return having missed the opening pre-season clash against Queen鈥檚 Park on Friday night. Rodgers said: 鈥淗e鈥檚 been training. But he鈥檚 just joined. So it was just too soon for him. But he should be okay for Cork.鈥 The manager welcomed a host of his national-team stars back into the unit on Friday prior to the Lesser Hampden outing as the build-up gathers pace. Celtic鈥檚 game against Cork in Ireland is followed by trips to Portugal and Italy. Rodgers said: 鈥淵es, well, some of them, again, are staggered, We鈥檝e got a number of them back. Obviously, Alistair [Johnston] will come back a little bit later. But we鈥檇 a good group of them back. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited by this season. I think the guys coming back, you see the quality of Daizen [Maeda] and Kieran [Tierney] and Reo and the other guys coming back. And then, obviously, we鈥檝e added quality to it. I would hope that we鈥檒l be able to continue to do that.鈥 Rodgers is set to lose star winger Nicolas Kuhn with a 拢17 million deal to Como due for completion within the next 48 hours and stated after the clash against Queen鈥檚 Park that the timing of the deal opens a door to quicker incomings. In the past, it鈥檚 been far-later in windows before Celtic have received bids for star turns which meets the club鈥檚 valuation and deals have been concluded closer to deadline. Rodgers outlined the situation as he explained: 鈥淲ith the likes of Nicolas, if that goes through, there was interest towards the end of last season, which we knew. And then that followed through into pre-season. So that means that once we鈥檝e the value that we think, then they can go on and get away early. 鈥淲ith Matt [O鈥橰iley], we didn鈥檛 get the value until late on. But what is important is that you have to freshen the squad and I鈥檝e been really pleased with some of the guys that we鈥檒l bring in and we need to bring in more.鈥 Earlier is better as Rodgers added: 鈥淎ye, absolutely. But like I said, we will only sell if the valuation is met for any player. And then, likewise, players coming in, we have to get the right players. It鈥檚 not just about getting players. 鈥淲e鈥檝e got some players in that can do really well for us, but we hope to do more. But at this moment in time, it鈥檚 really about getting the team ready and prepared and building the squad.鈥