Leigh Griffiths to return to Celtic

Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths will begin training again this week having not played for the club since the beginning of December to due personal struggles with mental health.

The 28-year-old Scottish international is set to take part in “fitness and performance work” watched by medical staff and is hoping to return to training alongside the first team in the near future.

A statement from the club reads: “Leigh will be working at Lennoxtown, in conjunction with the club’s medical and sports science staff, with a view to return to training with the first team in the future.

“The ultimate aim for both Leigh and the club is for Leigh to get back to training and playing with the first team, but that will take time.”

Neil Lennon, the Celtic boss, has explained that “in no way will we put any timescale on a possible return to the first team”, adding: “We will make sure we work with him on the best, most productive way forward. He will really be focusing on his own programme at the moment and then we will see what progress we make from there. We will not rush him in any way.”

Griffiths has expressed his thanks to Celtic and the supporters during his difficult time away from football: “I am so grateful to the club and everything they have given me and the way in which they have supported me so strongly.

“The Celtic supporters, too, have been a huge source of inspiration and strength for me and I want to thank them all sincerely for staying with me. I know it will be a long road back but I am ready to do all I can to get there.”

Griffiths had made twenty-two appearances for Celtic before his break from football, scoring six goals in a campaign which was hampered by injuries. His last appearance came at home to Kilmarnock on the 8th of December in a game which ended 5-1 in favour of the hosts.

In December, former Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers announced that the number nine had “reached a point where it’s a struggle for him” and that he would be “out of football for a little period of time”.

Griffiths said that rumours of a gambling problem were “laughable” and that his reasoning for taking time away from the game was purely down to mental health issues.

Lennon has told of his hopes to have the attacker back before the end of the season in what will be a comeback that everyone associated with football will surely be incredibly pleased about.