It has already been confirmed that Cameron Carter-Vickers is out for the rest of the season and is likely to even miss the World Cup next summer. That is a major blow for Celtic as he is viewed as the defensive leader at the back and the Hoops' best option at centre-back. Also, with the lack of quality options in that area, the club must consider signing a central defender, ideally as early as the January transfer window.
A lot will depend on the managerial situation as well. The next manager, whether that is Wilfried Nancy or somebody else, must be allowed to rebuild the squad in his own vision.
If it does turn out to be Nancy, there could be a standout option to bring in at centre-back. Somebody he knows quite well as he manages him at Columbus Crew.
67 Hail Hail have suggested Yevgen Cheberko as someone Celtic could sign to replace Carter-Vickers. The 27-year-old is also a Ukrainian international.
Celtic tipped to sign international centre-back to replace Cameron Carter-Vickers
Cheberko has been an integral part of Nancy's Columbus Crew team. He is capable of playing as a left-back as well. Of course, that short of versatility is always a bonus when looking at potential transfer targets.
Cheberko has already played in Europe, so the adjustment would be a bit easier coming from the MLS. Also, as he is already aware of Nancy's system, he could help the team a lot.
That being said, there are some aspects of his game that could be a bit worrying to some as well. One of them is the fact that he is left-footed. Celtic already have two such centre-backs in the form of Liam Scales and Auston Trusty. Would the club want to bring in another one in the near future?