Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou has been handed an injury boost concerning Karamoko Dembele.

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In a recent post on the Celtic website, the club revealed that the 18-year-old winger, who has yet to feature in a competitive game under the 56-year-old Bhoys boss after fracturing his ankle in pre-season, started his first game in nearly seven months on Sunday, featuring from the off in the Bhoys B team's 4-0 win over Vale of Leithen in the Scottish Lowland League.

Postecoglou will be buzzing

Considering the sheer amount of excitement surrounding the future of Dembele, as well as it being recently confirmed that Josip Juranovic will be available for Celtic's upcoming Europa Conference League clash on Thursday, the further news that the teenage forward finally appears to be close to making a return to first-team action is sure to have left Postecoglou buzzing.

Despite having been on the periphery of the Hoops senior squad for the past two years, the England U18 international has so far made just eight appearances for the first team, although it had appeared as if this would be changing under the management of the Greek-Australian coach.

Indeed, shortly after the 56-year-old's arrival at Parkhead, Postecoglou said of Dembele: "He is obviously a hugely talented boy. He has been here for a while and I guess he gets an opportunity now.

"I think the way we play will suit him. He was positive [against Charlton Athletic], not just with the ball, he also worked hard without the ball. I thought he did well. I never worry too much about age, at either end of the spectrum. It is more about can they do what we want them to do.

"He has been in and around the first-team squad for a little while now. I think he wants to break through and be a first-team player so I see no reason why anybody needs to protect him from that."

As such, with fellow academy graduate Mikey Johnston appearing to have suffered yet another injury setback in the 4-0 win over Raith Rovers last weekend, the potential return of the £225k-rated Dembele to Postecoglou's first-team squad will undoubtedly come as a huge boost to the 56-year-old, especially with such a hectic fixture schedule ahead of the Bhoys in the second half of the season.

In other news: "Special" Celtic gem's value has rocketed 175% in 7 months; it's all thanks to Ange