Cameron Carter-Vickers will partner Celtic star who has 'stolen the jersey' as Rodgers left with defensive puzzle to solve

Cameron Carter-Vickers is back as the undoubted first-choice centre-back at Celtic.

But boss Brendan Rodgers now has another defensive headache to solve because four into one just won’t go. Six weeks ago, he could barely find a stopper to stick in his backline. Yet, by the time the next round of domestic fixtures comes around after this international break, Rodgers may be spoilt for choice. Carter-Vickers is the certainty but Liam Scales, Nat Phillips, Gustaf Lagerbielke and Maik Nawrocki are now fighting for just one shirt.

Scales, called up by the Republic of Ireland, is the man in possession of it but it was Nawrocki who got the first crack at being the American’s long-term partner. Celtic paid £4.3million to Legia Warsaw and, while no one is guaranteed a game at any club, that’s not the type of outlay spent on a back-up. Nawrocki made a good first impression. He was strong, assured and, crucially, had a talent in moving the ball out from the back on his left side.

Alongside Carter-Vickers, the signs were positive until the Yank’s injury at Aberdeen sparked a merry-go-round. Stephen Welsh entered the equation at Pittodrie and performed to such an extent a new four-year deal was signed in the ensuing days.

Yet Celtic didn’t even get to their next game away to Kilmarnock in the League Cup before Welsh sustained his long-term injury. With Starfelt already away to Celta Vigo, Lagerbielke was bought from Elfsborg for another £3m to fill the void and plunged straight in at Rugby Park beside Nawrocki. Problem solved? No chance.

One game that partnership lasted before the Pole suffered his own knock. Suddenly, Scales and Lagerbielke were the last two left standing to start against St Johnstone and then Rangers. Celtic fans