Celtic have been hit with another concern at a crucial point in the season, with Tomáš Čvančara now facing a race against time to play again before the campaign ends.
The striker, who arrived on loan in January with an option to buy, could already have made his final appearance for the club.
Martin O’Neill confirmed the Czech forward is dealing with a groin problem, and surgery is now a real possibility. While no final decision has been made, the manager was clear about what that would mean.
“He’s got a bit of a groin strain,” O’Neill said. “They’re talking about the possibility of getting it seen to now. We’ll have a look at that.
“When I say get it seen to, that might involve a small operation or something like that. But we don’t know yet at this minute. He has to go for some more tests.
“If he had the operation, then you definitely wouldn’t see him again. But I’d like the specialist to have another look at it.”
For now, Celtic are waiting on further assessments, but the outlook is uncertain. If surgery is needed, Čvančara’s season is effectively over.
It adds another layer of concern in an area that’s already lacked stability. The 25-year-old has struggled to fully establish himself in recent weeks, with Daizen Maeda often preferred through the middle.
Now, Celtic could be without him altogether.
With the league title and Scottish Cup still hanging in the balance, losing another attacking option at this stage is far from ideal.
Maeda is expected to continue leading the line, and his recent form — three goals in his last two games — offers some encouragement at just the right time.
Elsewhere, Adamu has been involved from the bench in recent fixtures, while Calum Osmand is still working his way back from injury. He’s had a few setbacks but has at least returned to playing in friendly matches in recent weeks.
Still, with the run-in approaching its decisive phase, this is another situation Celtic could have done without.