LEIGH GRIFFITHS will not be leaving Celtic this summer according to manager Neil Lennon. The 30-year-old is yet to feature in any competitive action this season and rumours had been circulating that due to Albian Ajeti’s arrival that he may need to find himself a new club. Lennon, however, poured cold water on that theory and confirmed that the player was injured.
Speaking at the media conference today ahead of Saturday’s trip to Tannadice, the manager was asked to comment on Griffiths’ future and fitness – two of the major talking points throughout pre-season. Aberdeen were linked with a loan move on social media but Lennon was not in the mood to entertain this speculation.
“No, I’ve seen that mooted in the rumour mill but there is nothing in that at all.”
When asked for an update on Griffiths, the manager said that the striker would be out for a few weeks as he recovers from a calf strain.
“He’s out with a calf strain, looking at a couple of weeks.”
With 115 goals in 231 appearances for Celtic, Griffiths can still be a huge part of potentially record-breaking season. He needs to get himself fit and prove that he is worthy of a place in the side with Klimala and a new striker pushing for his place.
The striker was not included in the club’s pre-season trip to Loughborough and France after he returned to Celtic’s Lennoxtown training base out of shape. Neil Lennon unloaded on Griffiths in the press following the club’s draw versus OGC Nice. The hitman was forced to stay in Glasgow whilst his teammates faced the French sides, meaning he fell behind Klimala (and now Ajeti) in the pecking order.
